Easy Rustic Bread (Print version)

Create bakery-style crusty bread at home with minimal effort and ingredients

# What you'll need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
03 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
04 - 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

→ Optional for Dusting

05 - 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina

# How to make it:

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well to distribute evenly.
02 - Add lukewarm water and stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
03 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
04 - Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough and shape into a rough ball by folding the edges underneath.
05 - Place the dough seam-side down on parchment paper dusted with flour or cornmeal. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
06 - Preheat oven to 450°F. If using a Dutch oven, place it empty in the oven to preheat as well.
07 - Carefully transfer the dough with parchment paper into the hot Dutch oven or onto a baking sheet.
08 - Using a sharp knife or bread lame, make a shallow cut across the top of the loaf to control expansion during baking.
09 - Cover with the Dutch oven lid and bake for 25 minutes to create steam and develop crust structure.
10 - Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
11 - Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing to preserve texture and prevent moisture loss.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • Four simple ingredients create bakery quality bread that feels like magic
  • No kneading required so even bread anxiety cant stop you from success
02 -
  • A Dutch oven creates steam that gives you that crackly professional crust, but a baking sheet works too
  • The dough will look impossibly sticky at firstresist adding more flour or youll lose the airy texture
03 -
  • Let the bread cool completely before slicing or the steam will escape and leave you with a gummy interior
  • Use an instant read thermometeryoure looking for 190°F to 200°F inside for perfectly baked bread

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