Basic Artisan Bread - Melody Hull

3 cups + 2 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp table salt or 1/2 Tbsp
1/2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
1 1/2 cups cool water
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 ts[p dried rosemary

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, yeast, parmesan cheese and rosemary. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Don't over mix. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-18 hours. Overnight works great.

When ready to bake, place Dutch oven with lid in the oven and heat up to 450°. After placing Dutch oven in the oven, form the dough into a round loaf with flour. Don't handle the dough too much. Place the ball onto a piece of parchment paper and let sit for 30 minutes while the Dutch oven is heating up.

After 30 minutes, score the top of the round loaf with a serrated knife on the top center of the loaf. Remove Dutch oven from oven and remove lid with hot pads. Carefully place the loaf - still on the parchment paper into the dutch oven. Replace lid and put the Dutch oven back into the oven. Set timer for 40 minutes. (my gas oven takes 43 minutes). Remove Dutch oven and remove the bread and parchment paper. Set bread on a cooling rack. Don't cut into bread until it has cooled. It is still baking and gets gummy and hard to cut if you don't allow it to cool down.

* We love Rosemary Bread. We have also made this by using the same amount of Rosemary, but adding an additional 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/4 thyme leaves - not ground thyme.

Other Variations:
Asiago/black pepper: 1/4 c grated Asiago cheese and 1/2 - 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Cheddar/Green chili: 1/2 can green chilies and 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese - don't score the top of this one because of the cheese. Sprinle a little extra cheese on top.

Orange/Cranberry: 1/2 of an orange - zest it, 1/2 c craisins and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips.

* Just make sure that you add the extras for variations BEFORE adding the water. It's much easier adding the extras to the dry ingredients than trying to mix them in after the water has been added. Plus it distributes better when adding to dry ingredients.