6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour plus 4 for dusting
Instructions
In a large bowl mix the water, yeast and salt. Add the flour and stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. You will have sticky dough. Add a little more water if it seems dry.
In another bowl put a little olive oil, add the dough and turn to coat. Spray plastic wrap with baking oil and cover loosely. Leave out on the counter for 2 hours. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
The dough will be really sticky. Flour the counter. Work some flour into the dough as you manipulate and form the bread into preferred shape, I usually do rounds. The dough will still be sticky.
Spray a pan with cooking oil and place the dough in the pan on parchment paper. Turn the oven to 450°. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and score it about ¼ inch deep with a sharp knife. Make a 3-inch slit crosswise or a 3-inch slanted slit in the middle.
When oven is heated, place the pan on the middle rack with 1 cup of water in a shallow pan on the rack below. This helps to create steam and make the bread crusty. Bake for 20-25 min. Cool on baking rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Keep in a paper bag.