by Dawn Marie Crocker
Bake this bread in a cast-iron Dutch oven for a beautifully shaped loaf.
1 loaf
SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 1-3/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
Directions
- In large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until blended. The mixture will be very wet. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature overnight or for at least 12 hours.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Sprinkle dough with flour and fold it over onto itself once or twice. Cover with light dish towel and let rise for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450 F and place a 3- to 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven in oven while preheating. (The size of the Dutch oven will determine how thick your bread will be in the center; use a smaller Dutch oven for thicker loaves and a larger Dutch oven for thin loaves. Adjust baking time accordingly.)
- Carefully remove Dutch oven from heat and generously brush inside with olive oil. Transfer dough to Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool and slice.
Cooking your dough in a lidded, preheated vessel such as a Dutch oven produces steam inside the pot, which creates a crusty, golden loaf.
Related: Check out these other great recipes to cook in your cast iron.
