My Mother's Peasant Bread

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Unbleached All Purpose Flour (4 cups), Kosher Salt (2 tsp), Granulated Sugar (2 tsp), and Instant Dry Yeast (2 tsp).

Add the Water (2 cups).

Mix until the flour is absorbed.

Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees F). Grease two oven-safe bowls with Butter (2 Tbsp).

Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you've punched it down.

Then, take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions. To do so, eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls.

Let the dough rise for about 20-30 minutes on the countertop near the oven, or near a warm spot, until it has risen to just below or above the top of the bowls.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F) and bake for 15-17 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you've turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven, outside of their bowls, and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.