Dutch Oven Bread

Directions

1.Wash hands well with soap and water.

2.In a large bowl, add yeast, whole wheat flour, and salt. Mix well with a large spoon, until dough is uniform.

3.Scrape the inside edges of the bowl until clean then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 8 -10 hours. (After it rests at room temp, it can be placed in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours until ready to bake.)

4.Sprinkle flour onto a clean counter and tip dough out. (It will be sticky and loose.) Sprinkle flour on top and use fingers to gently deflate. Divide into two halves. Place half of the dough in a lightly oiled, sealed container/bag and refrigerate. Use within three days as pizza dough.

5.Form remaining dough into a loose ball and set in an oiled and floured shallow bowl or plate. Cover with plastic and let rise for ½ hour. (If placed in the refrigerator, allow dough to come up to room temp before this step.)

6.Preheat oven to 425 ºF while the dough rises.

7.Brush inside of Dutch oven lightly with oil and sprinkle bottom of pan with cornmeal. Gently scrape dough into pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove lid and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

8.Remove from oven and turn bread out to cool on wire rack. Serve immediately or store in a cool dry place for up to one week.