Mix (evening): in a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt and yeast. Add the water and stir with a spoon or spatula for about 30 seconds, until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap.

First rise: leave the bowl at room temperature (about 70–72°F) for 12–18 hours, until the dough has more than doubled, the surface is dotted with bubbles and it jiggles when you shake the bowl. In a cooler kitchen, give it the full 18 hours.

Shape: dust the counter lightly with flour and scrape the dough out. With floured hands, fold the edges into the center 4–6 times to make a round. Set it seam-side down on a 12 x 16-inch sheet of parchment paper and dust the top with flour or cornmeal.

Second rise: cover loosely with a towel and let it rise for 1–2 hours, until nearly doubled. Poke it about ¼ inch deep: it's ready when the dent springs back slowly and doesn't disappear.

Preheat the pot: about 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put the covered Dutch oven on a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 450°F (230°C). Let the pot heat for the full 30 minutes.

Bake covered: take out the hot pot and remove the lid. Lift the dough by the parchment and lower it, paper and all, into the pot. If you like, slash the top ½ inch deep with a sharp knife. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Bake uncovered: remove the lid and bake 15–20 minutes more, until the crust is a deep chestnut brown. The loaf is done at 205–210°F inside, or when it sounds hollow when tapped underneath.

Cool: lift the loaf out by the parchment onto a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. The crumb is still setting as it cools.