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Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into several pieces
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3 cups (or more, plus extra for dusting) unlbleached bread flour
Directions:
Combine the water, cornmeal and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the cornmeal thickens slightly, about 30 seconds, then remove it from the heat.
Scrape the cornmeal mush into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the butter with a wooden spoon until it melts. Then stir in the molasses. Set the mixture aside until it reaches room temperature, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup of lukewarm water in a small bowl and let it dissolve, about 5 minutes. Then stir it into the mush.
Beat 1 cup of flour into the mush until it’s well mixed, about 50 strokes. Repeat with a second cup. Beat in the third cup, 1/3 cup at a time.
When the dough pulls together into a ball, turn it out onto a flourdusted surface and knead it by hand for a full 10 minutes, adding more flour if it gets too sticky.
Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn it once to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 1 minute. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
Pat the dough into a12- by 9-inch rectangle. Starting at a 9-inch edge, roll up the dough like a rug, pinch the seam together and fold the ends under. Place the dough in the pan and cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Set it ina warm spot until it almost doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.
Set the oven rack one level below the center and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan and place the bread in the oven. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Bake the bread until it starts to brown, about 30 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool thoroughly on a rack before slicing and serving.