Jim Lahey's No-Work Bread My Way

This is the now-famous bread recipe of perfectly textured french bread baked in a heated Dutch oven. There are many variations (and opportunities for variation) of this recipe. This loaf was fairly close to the original. Be aware: this recipe takes about 24 hours from start to finish, so please plan ahead.


Ingredients

3 cups bread flour (I recommend King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt), optional but creates a better flavor
2 cups water at about 70°F
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cornmeal, as needed

Combine the flour, yeast, garlic and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir until blended: the dough will be sticky and shaggy—if it's not, add water. Coat the dough with olive oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 18 hours at about 70°F—the rising time will be shorter at warmer temperatures and a bit longer if cooler. The dough is ready for the next step when the surface is dotted with bubbles.

Lightly flour a work surface, remove the dough, and fold once or twice. Sprinkle the dough with flour to reduce stickiness. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours. When it's ready, the dough will be more than doubled in size and won't spring back when poked with a finger.

About half an hour before the dough is ready, heat the oven to 450°F. Put a 3-4 quart covered pot (with the cover) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and turn the dough over into the pot. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread with a spatula or tongs and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.