Easy overnight bread recipe

I've made this overnight bread recipe so many times lately that I know it by heart (not that it's hard). The recipe is both simple and affordable to make, and is always appreciated by hungry stomachs.

I can't take any credit for this recipe. I discovered it at Del's Cooking Twist, and I'm sure she discovered it somewhere else. It's one of those recipes that lots of people make and no one quite knows who invented it. Thank you to whoever did.

Overnight bread is a lovely accompaniment to soup, or just as a lunch on its own with butter and other favourite sandwich toppings. It's best eaten fresh, or within the day of being baked. After that, you'll need to toast it to freshen it back up.

Prep time: 5 minutes night before and 5 minutes in the morning
Baking time: 40 minutes (plus allow time for the oven to preheat)

Ingredients

• 3 cups plain white flour
• 1.5 tsp salt (plus extra sea salt for sprinkling)
• 0.5 tsp active yeast
• 1.5 cups water

Method

1. The night before you want to eat the bread, stir all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Cover and leave the ingredients to rise overnight.
3. In the morning, preheat your oven along with a lidded baking dish to 220°C.
4. When the oven has reached 220°C, remove the lidded baking dish and line it with baking paper (being careful not to burn yourself). 
5. Using wet hands, scrape the bread dough out of its bowl, shape it into a ball and drop it into the preheated and lined baking dish. 
6. Sprinkle extra sea salt or flour over the bread dough before replacing the lid on the baking dish and placing it in the preheated oven.
7. Bake covered for 30 minutes and then remove the lid and bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes. The bread is ready when it's a lovely golden colour and sounds hollow if tapped with a wooden spoon.

Enjoy!