No Knead Bread

Just like everyone else on the foodblogosphere, I made the bread, the bread was good, I want to save the recipe for the next time I remember to do it. This bread is very easy, tastes good, great crust due to baking process (the time with lid on is super-important), but does take a long time. Timing is the primary issue for me. One day I mixed up the dough before work (7:30a), came home and started the rest of the process (6p) and had bread by 9 or 10. A LONG time later, if what I wanted was bread for dinner. But if I mix it up at 10 the night before, then 18 hours later is 4pm, and what happens if I leave it until 6 when I get home? Probably nothing, and I'll try that next time. Or make it on a weekend.

3 c flour (all-purpose or bread)
1/4 t yeast
1 1/4 t salt
cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Combine flour, yeast and salt in large bowl. Add 1 5/8 c water, stir until blended. Dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap, let stand 12-18 hours at warm room temperature (70F).

Dough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle with more flour and fold over itself 1-2x. cover with plastic wrap, let rest 15 mins.

Using a little flour to keep from sticking to you or to work surface, shape dough into a ball. Coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal (not too much!), put dough seam-side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel, let rise 2 hours. When ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not spring back when poked with a finger.

30 minutes before dough is ready, preheat oven to 450, and place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot in oven as well. When dough is ready, remove pot from oven, slide hand under dough and turn into pot (seam-side up). Shake pan a little to distribute dough evenly. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15-30 mins (until browned). Cool on rack.

Yields 1 1.5lb loaf.