This Bread is TOO Easy To Be This Good...

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Steps

1. 1
   In a bowl, combine 360g warm water (90F/31C), sugar, 25g olive oil, and 450g bread flour. Mix with a sturdy spoon until combined, then switch to a wet hand and squeeze the dough until no lumps remain. Use a dough scraper to push any hydrated dough from the sides back into the mass.

   Tip: Water temperature is critical — too cold and the dough goes slow; too hot and it over-ferments. Use a thermometer or bath-warm water.

   ~5 min
2. 2
   Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes. This is the autolyse — hydrating flour without salt or yeast to develop a stretchy, soft dough with a more open crumb.

   Tip: Autolyse builds gluten strength without kneading — the dough becomes much more extensible.

   ~30 min
3. 3
   Mix 20g warm water with 4g instant yeast and 12g salt until dissolved. Pour the yeast-salt mixture into the autolysed dough and mix with a wet hand for about 60 seconds until no dry clumps remain.

   Tip: Salt and yeast combined briefly in water is fine — they only interact harmfully after 30+ minutes.

   ~2 min
4. 4
   Cover and ferment for 30 minutes.

   ~30 min
5. 5
   Perform a stretch and fold: with a wet hand, grab the dough, pull it up as far as it will go, fold it back over itself, rotate the bowl slightly, and repeat 4–5 times around the bowl. The dough should feel noticeably stronger and less sticky.

   Tip: Stop folding when the dough resists stretching — that's the gluten tightening up.

   ~3 min
6. 6
   Flip the dough seam-side down and round it into a ball using a 10-to-2 motion (like clock hands) to build surface tension. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

   ~30 min
7. 7
   Perform a second round of stretch-and-fold, then round the dough again into a tight ball as before.

   ~3 min
8. 8
   Cover and refrigerate for 4–24 hours (cold fermentation/overnight rest).

   Tip: Longer cold ferment = more complex flavor. You can bake after 4 hours but overnight is ideal.

   ~240 min
9. 9
   Add about ¼ cup olive oil to a 12-inch cast iron pan. Transfer the cold dough to the pan, bottom-side up. Oil your fingertips and dimple and gently stretch the dough to fill the pan. If it springs back, wait a few minutes and try again.

   Tip: Flipping the dough bottom-side up exposes the less-developed surface, helping it stretch more evenly.

   ~5 min
10. 10
    Cover and proof for 60 minutes in a warm spot (70F+).

    ~60 min
11. 11
    Drizzle more olive oil over the top of the dough and dimple again pressing firmly 10–12 times all the way to the pan bottom.

    Tip: Press all the way to the pan bottom — this creates the signature dimpled texture.

    ~2 min
12. 12
    Cover and proof for another 30 minutes until doubled, jiggly, and bubbly.

    ~30 min
13. 13
    Preheat oven to 500F/260C.

    ~15 min
14. 14
    Top with flaky salt.

    ~1 min
15. 15
    Bake for 15–18 minutes until deeply golden.

    Tip: You want a very deep golden crust — don't pull it early. The cast iron retains heat so the bottom keeps cooking.

    ~18 min
16. 16
    Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes before cutting.

    Tip: Removing immediately prevents the bottom from steaming and softening in the pan.

    ~20 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Brian Lagerstrom

This Bread is TOO Easy To Be This Good...

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