Add the bread flour and salt to a large bowl. Mix to combine.

Add warm water to a cup with the yeast and sugar. Let it sit for 10 mins to bloom.

Add the foamy yeast mixture to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon or danish whisk. Make sure all the flour is absorbed.

Cover and let it rise until double in size in a warm place for 2 hours.

An hour and a half into the rise time, turn the oven on to 500℉ and place your dutch oven in there to preheat for an hour. If not using a dutch oven, you can preheat a pizza stone or a baking sheet.

After 2 hours the dough should have doubled or even tripled in size. Dump it out gently onto a well floured surface. Gently grab the top, bottom and sides and fold them over to the center. Turn the dough over and place onto a parchment paper. *Optional, sprinkle the parchment paper with a little cornmeal for the bottom crust. Cover with the bowl and let it rest for 30 mins.

Using a blade or bread lame, cut a cross on top of the bread to help it expand in the oven.

Have a spray bottle with water ready!

Gently lower the bread into the dutch oven or slide onto the hot pizza stone or place on a baking sheet.

If using a dutch oven, spray the inside of the dutch oven with water to create a steam effect to help with the oven spring and place the cover on. If not using a dutch oven, spray the walls of the oven with water or add ice cubes to the bottom of the oven.

For the dutch oven bake @450℉ for 30 mins covered and 15 mins uncovered. If not using a dutch oven, bake for 30-35 mins at 450℉ or until you have achieved the color on the bread that you desire.