Bread Baking

Ingredients:

• 500g bread flour
• 1 pack dry yeast
• 12g salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 320ml warm water (40°C / 104°F)
• 24ml Greek virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the dry yeast with a little warm water and sugar. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes foamy—this means the yeast is active.
2. Preheat your oven to 40°C (104°F) and place your Dutch oven inside to warm up.
3. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the yeast, along with the remaining warm water and olive oil.
4. Stir with a spatula until the dough starts coming together. Then, transfer it to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, sprinkle some flour on top, and, if you like, drizzle olive oil or add sesame seeds for extra flavor.
6. Line the preheated Dutch oven with parchment paper, place the dough inside, cover, and let it rise in the oven at 40°C (104°F) for 1 hour.
7. Without opening the oven, increase the temperature to 200°C (420°F) and bake for 40 minutes.