Easy Crusty Bread

This recipe is adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I screwed up and only put 6 cups of flour (1.5 of which was wheat flour) and put 2 tablespoons of yeast instead of 1.5, but I think it still turned out fine. I didn't get a chance to make a loaf with the "fresh" dough, so I took it out of the fridge the next day and let it rise for ~45 mins in a warm oven and then followed the directions as below.

Maybe next time I'll follow the directions more closely and it will taste even better!


Ingredients:
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp salt
- 6 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Directions:
- Add yeast and salt to water in a large bowl.
- Mix in the flour until incorporated, but do not knead.
- Cover with a non-airtight lid and let rise approximately 2 hours.
- Sprinkle dough with flour and cut off a grapefruit sized piece, add a little more flour if needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands and stretch surface of dough around to bottom turning as you go to form a ball.
- Let dough rest 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450F and place an empty broiler tray on bottom rack.
- Dust dough with flour and slash with a serrated knife to make a criss cross or scalloped pattern. Put dough in the oven and quickly pour 1 cup of hot water in the broiler tray and shut the door. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch.

Remaining dough can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in a lidded (but not airtight) container and used as necessary.