Easiest Rustic Bread Recipe EVER

Ingredients:

• 3 cups warm water
• 2 ¼ tsp (1 package) active dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 6 cups (750 g) flour (bread flour is ideal)
• 3 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Activate Yeast:

   • In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix the warm water, yeast, and sugar.
   • Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes bubbly.

2. Prepare Dough:

   • Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture.
   • Mix until combined into a soft dough. It should be slightly sticky but manageable. If it's too sticky, add flour ¼ cup at a time until it’s workable.

3. First Rise:

   • Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.
   • Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-3 hours, or until doubled in size. If short on time, 30-60 minutes can work too.

4. Preheat Oven:

   • Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
   • Place a pizza stone or an inverted cookie sheet in the oven to heat up.

5. Prepare for Baking:

   • Fill a baking dish with 2 inches of water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven to create steam.
   • Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, fold it onto itself, divide it in half, and form into two balls. Avoid overworking the dough. Add flour if necessary.

6. Shape and Score:

   • Cut an X shape on the top of each dough ball with a sharp knife.

7. Bake:

   • Place the dough balls on a lightly floured pan.
   • Transfer the pan to the preheated pizza stone or cookie sheet in the oven.
   • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and cooked through.

8. Cool:

   • Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Enjoy your freshly baked bread!