There is something special about making your own bread. I do not know what it is. But making my own bread makes me feel powerful.

Ingredients:

2 ¾ cups of bread flour (all-purpose flour also works fine) plus ¼ cups for forming a ball.

2 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of yeast

1 light beer such as Corona/Modelo

6 quarts or larger cast Iron Dutch Oven – you have to have it –

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the 2 ¾ cups of flour, yeast, salt, beer and olive oil.
2. Mix them with a wooden spoon or a spatula until combined.
3. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it sit until doubled in size.  It is 1-2 hours in room temperature around 65-70 Fahrenheit.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit degrees.
5. Place a 6- quart cast iron Dutch oven on a middle rack of 450 Fahrenheit degrees oven at least 30 minutes.
6. Place the dough out onto a floured work surface and form the dough into a ball. Place the ball shaped dough on to a large piece of parchment paper.
7. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and place the dough with the parchment paper in the center of it. Place the Dutch oven back to the oven, cover it with its lid and bake for 35 minutes.
8. Remove the lid and keep baking 10-15 more minutes until the bread is golden brown.
9. Take the bread out of the Dutch oven and place it on a rack to cool completely about 1 hour.

Your bread is ready to eat! Enjoy.