Vermont Cheddar Bread

Mix yeast, salt, and sugar with water in a 6-quart bowl or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in flour and cheese without kneading, using a spoon or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If you’re not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.)

Cover dough (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it’s easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate dough and use over the next 7 days.

Dust surface of refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust dough piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating dough ball a quarter-turn as you go. Allow dough to rest 1 hour on a pizza peel that has been covered with cornmeal or parchment.

Preheat oven to 450° with a baking stone near middle of oven, with an empty metal broiler tray on any rack that won’t interfere with the rising bread, 20–30 minutes.

Sprinkle dough liberally with flour and slash top about ½ inch deep, using a serrated bread knife.

Slide loaf directly onto hot stone. Pour hot water into broiler tray and quickly close oven door.

Bake dough until richly browned and firm, about 30 minutes. (Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.)

Cool bread on a rack before slicing and eating.