• Add water, salt, and yeast to a bowl. Whisk together until yeast is dissolved (I typically use Redmond's salt so it doesn't dissolve all the way. This is ok)
• After yeast has dissolved, mix in 3 cups of freshly milled flour. Stir all together. You want the dough to be wet but still able to come together a little bit. If the dough is TOO wet, add a little bit of flour. If dough is too dry, add some more water. (see video for visual). You want the dough to be wetter than a typical bread dough. Freshly milled flour is thirsty! It will soak it all up.
• Cover with plastic wrap and towel (or just cover with a damp towel)

Stretch & Folds

• Stretch & Fold 1: Set timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, do the first stretch and fold. Bring up one quarter of a side up towards the ceiling and then fold it over towards the middle. Rotate dough a quarter turn and pull the side of dough up towards ceiling, then fold over towards the middle. Rotate dough again and repeat for all sides. Bread dough will fall apart a bit easy. Just stretch it as far as it'll go without breaking and fold over. Cover back up with plastic wrap. (see video for instruction)
• Stretch & Fold 2: After 15 minutes, repeat stretch and folds. Cover dough back up.
• Stretch & Fold 3: After 15 minutes, repeat stretch and folds. Cover dough back up.
• Stretch & Fold 4: After 15 minutes, repeat stretch and folds. At this point, dough should be more elastic which means the gluten has developed well. Bread will still feel slightly wet, but less sticky. If dough is still breaking a part continue to do stretch and folds every 15-20 minutes until you get a more elastic, stretchy dough.

OPTION 1: Same-Day Bake

• If you choose to bake the same day, after the stretch and folds, cover dough again with plastic wrap and allow to rise until double.
• While dough is rising, place your Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Rising for the dough can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. You want your Dutch oven to be HOT when the dough is ready.
• When dough has doubled, lightly flour a working surface and dump dough out. Lightly dust your hands to work with the dough (it will still be tacky) and fold up the sides into the middle form a seam. (see video)
• Flip dough ball over so the seam side is on the bottom and push and tuck each of the bottom edges of the dough ball to form surface tension on the top of the dough ball. (See video)
• Once dough ball is formed, place on parchment paper and immediately put into hot Dutch oven and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 35 minutes with the lid on.
• After 35 minutes, remove lid and bake for another 5-10 minutes until crust is to your liking (5 minutes is enough for me)
• After baking, remove bread from Dutch oven and allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before diving in. To be able to slice it even easier, cool bread completely.

OPTION 2: Bake tomorrow

• If you choose to bake the next day, after the stretch and folds place in a container and cover securely with plastic wrap. Store in fridge.
• The next day, remove dough ball from fridge. Start preheating the oven to 450 degrees with Dutch oven inside. Once oven is preheated, remove dough ball and shape like the instructions above.
• Place on parchment paper, put in Dutch oven and bake for 35 minutes with the lid on.
• After 35 minutes, remove lid and bake for 5-10 minutes more until crust is how you like it.

Storing Bread

• To store bread with a crusty crust, store with the cut side down on a plate, cutting board, etc so the air keeps the crust dry but not the interior of the bread.
• To freeze, allow bread to cool COMPLETELY. Wrap up tightly with plastic wrap then with tin foil and freeze up to 3-4 months. Remove from freezer to thaw overnight on counter. You can also slice bread before freezing and just remove a slice right from the freezer to toast!