A touch of vinegar gives this bread a sourdough-like flavor. It is a slow riser, so be patient! It is baked in a Dutch oven, a smallish one. Do not pre-heat the oven.
- 15 oz (425 g) all-purpose flour, about 3 cups (I use King Arthur)
- ¼ tsp instant yeast (I use SAF Red)
- 1.5 tsp table salt
- Spring water (un-chlorinated)
- Malt vinegar
- Cooking oil spray
- 12 x 18 inch sheet of parchment paper
Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl. Put a 2 cup measure on your scale and zero it. Add 2 TB malt vinegar and then water to bring the weight to 312 grams.
Pour all the liquid into the bowl with the flour and using a spatula mix until a shaggy, rough ball forms. Cover the bowl and let rise at room temp overnight.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead about a dozen times, then shape into a ball by pulling the edges together under the dough.
Spray one side of the parchment with the oil spray. Lay the dough on the paper, spray the top with oil spray. Use the paper to lift the dough into the Dutch oven, letting excess paper hang over the sides. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (about), a couple of hours. Dust with flour and use a razor to cut a single ½” deep slash across the top of the loaf.
Cover and place on the rack in the middle position of the (cold) oven. Set the oven to 425o f and turn on. Immediately start timing 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking until the loaf registers 210o f internally. This will take about 25 minutes. Use the parchment to lift the loaf out of the pan and cool on a rack before slicing.
