Homemade bread with one bowl and one measuring cup to wash. The bread comes out easily from the pot and there is no oil so you should be able to wipe it out with a dry tea towel and you’re all done!
In a large bowl (minimum 4 liter size) combine yeast and warm water. Wait about 10 minutes until it is foaming at the top.
Meanwhile in a 4 c measuring cup, combine flour, salt and herbs and gently mix. Pour dry ingredients into water mixture and stir gently until raggedy and combined.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap, turn off warming oven and pop dough into oven to rise. Leave it here at least 3-4 hours or all day if you’ve put it together in the morning, the main thing is to make sure it is very puffy and has risen to fill the bowl. Times will vary due to temperature in your house/oven as well as general humidity.
Pull it out of the oven once it’s risen and put a 4 liter enameled cast iron pot with lid (not a plastic lid!!!) into the oven and set it to 450′ F to preheat for about ½ hr After it is preheated, take out pot and pour the raggedy loose dough into it, put lid back on and put it back in the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes, then take lid off and bake another 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven, let cool in pot for 10 or 15 minutes and then cool on cooling rack. Voila!
Variations:
1. Substitute 1 c white flour for 1 c whole wheat or whole grain flour. (A bit more dense but very delicious)
2. Add to dry ingredients ¼ c chopped dry figs, ¼ c pitted and chopped kalamata olives and optional ½ tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary.