No-knead bread

1.Sift flour, bread improver, yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into a large bowl. Add 1 3/4 cups water and stir until mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then a tea towel. Set aside at room temperature for 18-20 hours, until surface has many bubbles.

2.Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, using a spatula to help scrape all of dough out.

3.Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on it self two or three times. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes.

4.With enough flour to prevent sticking, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball, using a spatula to help scrape dough. Dust a tea towel generously with flour and burghul, cornmeal or wheat bran, if using. Place ball of dough, seam-side down, on tea towel and dust with more dry ingredients. Fold over tea towel to cover ball and set aside to rise for 2 hours, until doubled and an indentation remains when pressed.

5.Meanwhile, 30 minutes before baking, place a heavy, covered pot (cast iron, enamel or ceramic) in oven and heat at 240°C or 220°C fan. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven and place on a heatproof trivet. Sprinkle base with a little flour. With your hand under towel, turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake pan lightly to distribute dough evenly. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake for another 30 minutes, until loaf is browned and crusty. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.