If you love fresh bread with your dinner – or any time for that matter!  You’ll love this recipe.  It’s prepared the night before and couldn’t be easier.  I had this at a friends’ house once and threatened to hunt her down for the recipe. She obliged and now I have to share it.

Easy Crusty Bread

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise 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 (on the counter, not the fridge). Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450F. When the oven has reached 450 place a cast iron pot with a lid (a leCrueset type) in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Dough will be sticky. 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 mintes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  Enjoy!