Ingredients for 4 loafs 1 pound each
3 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ Tbs. granulated yeast (fast acting)
1 ¼ Tbs. coarse sea salt
6 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
Add the water, the yeast and the salt to the bowl of a standing electric mixer. Add the flour and mix with the dough mixing blade, until a wet loose dough in formed. Put the dough in a bowl, big enough, so the dough can rise (it will almost triple in size.) Cover it with plastic film, leaving a little hole so the dough can “breath” and the gases escape. Set aside for 2 hours at room temperature. If you don’t plan to bake it, save it covered, not airtight, in the refrigerator. This dough will last up to weeks.
In the oven, preheat a pizza stone at 450F, in the middle rack, for at least 30 minutes. In the mean time, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle some flour in your hands to avoid sticking. Take some of the dough and shape your loaf. Place it in the baking sheet and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
Dust the loaf with some flour and slash the top with a knife. The slashes can be parallel, cross or tic-tac toe pattern. Place the loaf in the hot pizza stone and immediately place the baking sheet in the lower rack of the oven. Carefully pour 1 cup of water in the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Take the loaves out of the oven and let them cool down on a wire rack.
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