• In a large bowl, mix yeast and lukewarm (100°F/38°C) water. Let rest 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in flour and salt, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be difficult to stir, but too wet to knead or work with hands.
• Brush top of dought with a little oil (to prevent sticking to cover) and cover dough with beeswax or plastic wrap and a clean cloth. Let rise at room temperature for 12 -18 hours (overnight) for beautiful, airy bread.
• After the rising period, dough can be baked or stored, covered in the fridge for one week (see article for details).

Baking on Baking Sheet

• Sprinkle flour on dough and cut off half the dough.
• With floured hands, turn dough in hands to lightly stretch the surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Use as much flour in your hands as needed and form into an oval artisan bread shape.
• Place on lightly greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (if using) where dough will be placed. Repeat with remaining dough, or leave in fridge for another day.
• Dust top of dough lightly with all purpose flour. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes while preheating oven to 450°F/232°C.
• OPTIONAL Steam Infusion: About 10 minutes before placing the bread in the oven, put a metal or oven-safe tray on the lower rack. Just before you put your bread in the oven, fill this tray with water or ice cubes to create a steamy environment in the oven. Just be careful - there will be hot steam, don't get steam burn!
• After final rest and oven has come to temperature, use a serrated knife to make three diagonal slashes on top of the dough. Place in oven.
• Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 205°F/96°C.
• Cool on wire rack.

Baking in Dutch Oven

• Tear a piece of parchment paper just slightly bigger than your dutch oven. You will use this to move your bread from the counter to the very hot dutch oven.
• Sprinkle flour on dough and cut in half with a serrated knife.
• Using as much flour as needed on your hands and on the dough, lift out half the dough. Gently shape the dough to roughly match the shape of your dutch oven. Stretch the surface and tuck dough underneath to create a smooth rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Place on parchment paper
• Dust top of dough lightly with all purpose flour. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes while preheating oven and Dutch oven with lid to 450°F/232°C.
• Once oven has come to temperature and dough has rested for 20 minutes, use a serrated knife to make 2-3 diagonal slashes on top of the dough.
• As quickly and safely as possible, pull hot Dutch oven out of oven, remove lid and using the parchment paper as a sling, move the bread into the Dutch oven. Cover and quickly return to oven.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes.
• Remove lid, reduce heat to 425°F/218°C and bake another 15-20 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 205°F/96°C.
• Cool on wire rack.