Effortless Rustic Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups warm water
• 1.5 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1.5 tablespoons coarse salt
• 6.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 cup cornmeal

Steps

1. Combine water, yeast, and salt in a large bowl; set aside until mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir flour into yeast mixture until well combined. Dough will be shaggy and look wet. Loosely cover the bowl with a damp towel; set aside in a warm place, about 5 hours.
3. Shape dough into 2 loaves using damp hands. Place loaves on a cornmeal-dusted work surface; score tops a few times with a sharp knife. Transfer loaves to a baking sheet; set aside until loaves double in volume, 30 to 60 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
5. Bake in the preheated oven, spraying surface of dough occasionally with water, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.