Artisan Bread

This recipe is AWESOME! It is really easy. It is delicious with soups, salads, jam, and homemade apple butter.

1 1/2 T Yeast

1 T salt

3 c lukewarm water

5 1/2-6 cups flour (at least 2 C all purpose flour, the rest whole wheat)

Stir yeast, salt, and water in a large bowl. Add in flour and stir until combined. Do not knead. The dough is really wet. Cover and let rest 2-3 hours, until flattened on top.

To bake: Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 450 for 20 min. Place shallow pan on the rack below the pizza stone. Dust dough with flour and pull off a grapefruit sized chunk. Dust with more flour and shape into a loaf by stretching the top of the loaf. Score the bread with a sharp knife. Place on stone in oven, pour 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan, and bake 25-30 min., until deeply browned. Cool completely on a rack before slicing. Store leftover dough in a covered (not airtight) container in the fridge and keep up to 2 weeks. to bake refrigerated dough: let formed loaf rest 40 minutes before scoring and baking.

Makes approximately 4 loaves.