Easy Crusty Bread

I found this wonderful looking bread recipe from pinterest and thought I'd try it out. I still like my sourdough bread better, but this one is so easy and doesn't take as much time if you want some bread in a hurry. But I have to say, it is ALMOST as good! I had some with homemade garlic pepper jelly and my husband had some with grape jelly, then he had some for supper so it was almost gone in a day. The recipe came from http://simplysogood.blogspot.com and she makes it with all kinds of stuff baked in it (cheese, dried fruits, herbs, etc). I will defintiely be trying some different combinations, but here is the basic recipe. I made mine in my cast iron pot with a lid and it turned out perfectly. I took mine out 5 minutes early and it was just right, so keep an eye on it the last 15 minutes!

Crusty Bread


3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 1/2 cups water


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours.  Overnight works great.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.