Whisk dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast; whisk thoroughly to blend.

Mix water and dough:

Pour in the lukewarm water and mix with a wooden spoon until a ragged dough forms. The texture will be quite coarse and not at all smooth.

Proof dough 8 hours:

Seal the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature for 8 hours. Position the bowl in a warm spot, away from drafts or direct sunlight. After 8 hours, the dough should have doubled in volume and appear bubbly.

Shape into round loaf:

After proofing, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Quickly fold the dough over itself a few times to shape it into a round loaf. Drape with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 1 hour.

Preheat oven and pot:

30 minutes before the second rise ends, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and set a Dutch oven with its lid on the center rack to heat.

Transfer dough to pot:

Using the parchment paper as a sling, carefully lower the dough (still on the paper) into the hot Dutch oven. Optionally, slash the top of the dough with a sharp knife to allow expansion during baking; this step is decorative but not required.

Bake covered 30 min:

Wearing oven mitts, cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes. Remember, the lid is very hot!

Bake uncovered 15 min:

Remove the lid and continue baking for another 15 minutes to brown and crisp the crust.

Cool bread before slicing:

Carefully transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, before slicing.