boule bread

new favorite cookbook first recipe worked

crunchy, chewy, flavorful crust, moist interior...pesto, vinegar and oil, a little bruschetta...
drooling yet? next recipe...trying in a few days, i still have dough for two loaves in the refrigerator.

3c lukewarm water 1 1/2 Tbl yeast 1 1/2 Tbl coarse slat 6 1/2 c unbleached all purpose flour, measure with a scoop and sweep method DO NOT pack it down cormeal for pizza peel (in my case, a cutting board) 1. add yeast and salt to water in a 5 quart bowl or your mixing bowl. don't worry about getting the yeast and salt to dissolve. mix in the flour, kneading is UNNECESSARY. just add all the flour at once. mix with a wooden spoon or your mixer. you're finished when everything is most without dry patches. DON'T KNEAD it. 2. allow to rise, cover wit a lid that is not airtight (i used plastic wrap). allow to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours. now you are ready to bake, OR for better bread, put the dough in the refrigerator for one night. 3. on baking day, cut out about a grapefruit size piece of dough. "cloak" the dough, (basically this just means quickly shape it into a round loaf without kneading it. let rise on cornmeal sprinkled pizza peel or cutting board for 40 min. 20 min through the rising, preheat oven to 450, dust the top of loaf and cut slashes or criss crosses. put in the oven with one cup hot water underneath the preheated baking stone. bake for 30 minutes.