Effortless Rustic Bread

Mix water, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. Let stand until mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes.

Stir flour into yeast mixture until well incorporated; the dough will be loose and look wet. Cover bowl loosely with a damp towel and let sit for about 5 hours.

Shape dough into 2 loaves using damp hands. Place loaves on a cornmeal-dusted work surface and score tops a few times with a sharp knife. Transfer to a baking sheet and allow loaves to double in size, 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Bake loaves in the preheated oven, spraying surface of dough occasionally with water, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.