Crusty French Bread Loaf

After eluding the virus for nearly 2 1/2 years, in the final days of 2022 - I joined the Covid club.  It's not a group that I've ever wanted to be a part of and even though my symptoms weren't as bad as some, it took me out of commission for several days.  

It's hard to believe that I could have actually been surprised by my positive Covid test, but it's true.  I went to the doctor to get tested for strep throat and the nurse had to convince me to have a flu test and a Covid test as well.  Well, you know the rest of the story - it wasn't strep, or the flu - it was Covid. 🤒

I was pretty miserable for a few days but unlike some, I never lost my sense of smell or taste while I had the virus.  I drank a LOT of hot tea to try and soothe my tender throat and I found that honey and lemon made it much more palatable. 🫖  Covid robbed me of my appetite so I pretty much existed on tea and soup for a couple of days. 

Like most people, Covid hit at the most inconvenient time.  We had 3 extra people living in our house last week and I couldn't seem to get out of bed.😴  Thankfully, I had prepared and frozen several meals in ahead of time that my family could defrost and heat up for dinner because let's face it, no one wanted Covid mom to prepare their food. 

It was a pan of lasagna, a tray of chicken enchiladas and a container of chicken chili from the freezer that sustained my family while I recovered.  And since I hadn't been to the grocery to get any fresh vegetables, the side dish for all those meals - Crusty French Bread Loaves.  Luckily, the loaves were also prepared ahead of time and frozen.🍞 

Crusty French Bread Loaf
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ¼ cups warm water
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
2 ½ to 3 ½ cups flour 

Combine yeast, sugar and water in bowl of standing mixer.  

Let sit for 5 minutes. ​

Add flour slowly.  Add salt until just incorporated.  

Cover bowl with towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured counter.  Do not punch down.  

Gently shape into a round and place dough in a floured proofing basket. 

Cover bowl with a towel and let rise 30 minutes.  

Preheat a dutch oven (with lid) in a 450 oven.  

Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment on the counter. 

Sprinkle loaf with flour. 

Use the parchment to gently lower the loaf into the hot dutch oven. 

Bake bread 30 minutes with the lid on.  Remove lid and bake another 10-15 minutes. 

Remove loaf from pan and let cool. 

Ciao!

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