Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl. (Keep yeast and salt at opposite ends).
Pour water into the bowl and use a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Cover the bowl with cling film or a damp cloth and let it sit on your counter for 12 - 18 hours.
Preheat oven to the highest it will go. Mine goes to 245 degrees/Gas Mark 9. Put your cast iron pot in the oven.
Flour your hands well and also sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough. With your floured hands gently remove the dough from the bowl and place on baking paper. Roughly shape it into a ball. Don't over handle the dough.
Lift the baking paper with the dough into the hot pot. Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, after which remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the bread from the pot and allow to cool a little before serving.
Notes
If you want to make sure your bread doesn’t stick to the pot you can sprinkle some flour or corn flour on the bottom of the pot. I prefer to use baking paper to lift the dough into the pot.
Put the yeast and salt on opposite ends of the bowl to begin with, to avoid the salt killing the yeast.
Do not refrigerate the dough as it rises.
You can leave the dough to rise for up to 24 hours.
If you want to know if the bread is done, turn it over and give it a knock. It should sound hollow.
Always check the expiration date on your yeast!
If you do not have a Cast iron pot use an oven safe pot with an air tight lid. Make sure it ca be heated to GM9 though!
You can dust the bread with cornflour before it goes in the oven. I do this sometimes.