• 3 cups (15 oz.) unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp water (7 oz.) - room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (3 oz.) mild-flavored lager
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Combine water, beer, and vinegar and add to dry ingredients. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture scraping up dry flour on the bottom of the bowl until a shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hrs. Unheated oven provides a good rising space with the ability to raise the temperature slightly with the oven light.
2. Lay 12“x18” sheet of parchment paper inside 10“ skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. About 2 hr before start of bake knead dough 10 to 15 times with lightly floured spatula in the rising bowl. Shape into ball and lay into skillet with smooth side up. Spray with nonstick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in bulk and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hrs.
4. About 30 min before baking place heavy bottomed dutch oven on lowest rack and heat oven to 450 deg. Remove knob if plastic.
5. Lightly flour top of dough and using sharp knife make a slit 6” long and 1/2“ deep in center of dough. Remove preheated pot from oven, remove lid, place dough into pot by lifting on the corners of the parchment paper. Cover pot, place back in oven, lower temperature to 425 deg., and bake for 30 min.
6. Remove pot lid, cook for 10 min at 425deg, lower temperature to 400 deg, and continue to bake until center registers 210 deg., 10-20 min. longer.
7. Remove bread from pot and place on cooling rack to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Whole Wheat

• Replace 1 cup of white flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour and add 2 Tbsp. honey to liquids
• Tends to burn bottom crust more than white, lower temp slightly
• Lower temps - 430deg preheat; 425deg initial lid on(30min) and off(10min); 400deg final(11 min)

Olives, Rosemary and Parmesan

• Add 4 oz. grated Parmesan and 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves to flour. Add 1/2 cup chopped green olives to liquids.

Cranberry-Pecan

• Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves to flour mixture.

Seeded Rye

• Replace 1 3/8 cup white flour with 1 1/8 cup rye flour. Add 2 Tbsp caraway seeds to flour.

Serves: 8      Total Time: 8-18 hr. rising + 2 hr. rising and preheating + 50 min. baking
Source: Cook's Illustrated Jan/Feb 2008