Bread in a Black Cast Iron Pot

Note: Plan ahead. The time required for the recipe is about 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising.


1. Combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

2. Turn to mixer speed to 2 and mix about 1 minute or until well blended.

3. Gradually add water that has been heated to 120º to 130º F and continue to mix.

4. Stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky.

5. Continue to mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

7. Let dough rest at least at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature.

Note: A closed unlit gas oven is an excellent draft-free place. The heat from the pilot provides adequate warmth for proper rising. With an electric oven, turn to 150° for about 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and open the door for 3 minutes. Place the bowl of dough in the oven and quickly close the door. This will give you an approximate temperature of 85°, just right for even and fairly quick rising.

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

8. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice.

9. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

10. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.

11. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour.

12. Put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour.

13. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours.

Note: When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

14. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450° F.

15. Lightly coat the bottom of a 6-to 8-quart heavy black cast iron covered pot with PAM® non-stick cooking spray.

16. Put the black cast iron covered pot in oven as it heats.

17. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from the oven.

18. Slide your hand under the towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up.

Note: The dough may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

19. Cover with lid and bake 40 minutes.

20. Dump the bread from the black cast iron pot oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.