Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.

Add kosher salt and flour to bowl. Mix with your hands or a sturdy spatula, or mix on low speed with your stand mixer until all flour is incorporated and dough has just started to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Lightly flour all sides of your dough and turn it over inside the mixing bowl to coat with flour on all sides. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.

When dough has risen, lightly flour a large cutting board. Tip the dough out of the bowl and onto the cutting board.

Sprinkle a bit of flour across the top of the dough, then begin shaping it into a round loaf.

Flour a proofing basket or a medium bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so while you preheat the oven.

While bread is rising, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 460 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the oven is hot, use oven mitts to pull the dutch oven out and remove the lid.

Lay a piece of parchment paper down on your counter or cutting board.

Tip your bread dough gently out of the proofing basket onto the parchment paper.

VERY CAREFULLY use the sides of the parchment to lift the bread up and place it into the hot Dutch oven.

Put your oven mitts back on, place the dutch oven lid back on the pot, and slide the whole thing back into your hot oven.

Cook bread for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid from your dutch oven. Continue cooking the bread, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes more until the bread has deepened in color and you have a beautiful brown crust.

When bread is done, use oven mitts to pull the pot out of your oven. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it.

Slice, slather with butter, and enjoy!