Artisan Bread in a Dutch Oven

ARTISAN BREAD IN A DUTCH OVEN

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6 c flour
1/2 t yeast
2 1/2 t salt
2 2/3 c cool water

Mix all the ingredients together. Dough will be sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 12-18 hours. (I like about 12 hours. Wait longer for a sourdough flavor.) Using flour on your hands and work surface, turn the dough out and fold it over itself a couple of times. Flour a dishtowel generously (not terrycloth) and place dough on it, seamside down. Cover with another floured dishtowel. Let sit for 2 hours. After about 1 1/2 hours preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a seasoned dutch oven with lid inside the oven. After about 1/2 hour carefully remove dutch oven from oven. Using towels to lift the dough, flip it into the hot dutch oven. Put lid on and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, remove lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Remove bread from dutch oven and cool on a rack. Wait until mostly cool to slice. Yummy! I love to serve this with soup.