Add the yeast, sugar and salt to a medium bowl.

Add the warm water and whisk until everything is dissolved.

If you use a little sugar, allow the mix to sit for 5-10 minutes so that it can get foamy. (This step is optional, but I like my bread to have a few air bubbles in it, and it confirms your yeast is alive!) If you don’t use sugar, proceed to the next step without waiting.

Add the flour and stir it together until it comes together into a sticky dough ball. If it’s too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time until it sticks together well. If it’s too wet, add a little extra flour at a time until the dough looks like the process image.

Cover with a piece of foil, plastic or kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest and rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours.

Adjust your oven racks to accommodate your Dutch Oven, then place it (along with the lid) on the lowest rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Once your oven reaches 450 degrees, allow 15-20 more minutes to continue heating.

Use a spoon or spatula to gently scrape the sticky dough out of the bowl and onto a piece of parchment paper that is approximately 15”x15”. (You want to be able to grab the edges of the parchment and place the bread inside the Dutch Oven and not allow the sides of the dough to touch the sides of the pan directly.)

Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and use the parchment to gently shape the dough to your liking. Feel free to use a sharp knife to cut a slit or design into the dough before baking. This is optional.

Once the Dutch Oven has been properly preheated, open the oven door and while using potholders, remove the lid and carefully place the parchment with bread inside pan. Put the lid back into place, (don’t worry about all of the parchment paper being inside the oven) close the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove the pan from the oven, then remove the loaf by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper and place it all on a wire rack to cool for approximately 20 minutes before slicing and serving.