food_for_tycho

3 cups (450g) flour, bread flour preferable but AP will work well enough
2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
2 tsp kosher salt (not table salt)
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) very warm tap water (130°F)

Instructions
Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon [what the fuuuuck, a plastic spatula is fine.] to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy – not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency

Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 – 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it’s wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly. If after 1 hour it doesn’t seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer.

Optional – refrigerate for flavor development- at this stage, you can either bake immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Take chill out of refrigerated dough – if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 – 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.

Preheat oven – Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (10" or larger). Preheat to 450°F 30 minutes prior to baking.

Sprinkle work surface with 1 Tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 Tbsp flour.
Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don’t be too meticulous here – you’re about to deform it, it’s more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move. Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(-ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!

Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.

Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes (at least- this tends to take closer to 20 for me) uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.

Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

We were looking for a side to go with the pile of pork we've been eating every night (so much pork!) and Eric tweaked a Good Eats recipe and whipped this up. It was really tasty!

Pea Salad

12 oz. bag of frozen peas
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 diced green onion
some dried parsley, dried oregano, pepper, salt (easy on the salt)
handful (3-4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

Blanch the peas- drop them in boiling water with a pinch of salt for about a minute, then drain and rinse them in cold water. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the vinegar, green onion, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Add the peas, oregano, parsley and cheese and stir to combine. Cover and allow to sit in refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes prior to serving.