MIX THE DOUGH & FIRST RISE  (1 HOUR):

1. 1. Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water in a large mixing bowl.
   2. Let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes, until the mixture looks nice and foamy.
   3. Add kosher salt and pepper to bowl.
   4. Add 3/4 cup of the asiago cheese to the bowl – save the extra 1/4 cup of cheese for topping the bread later!
   5. Add flour to bowl a bit at a time and stir gently with your hand or a sturdy spatula until all flour is incorporated and dough has come together and pulled away from the sides of the bowl. The dough won’t be completely smooth and may even look slightly shaggy – that’s ok!

1. Lightly flour all sides of your dough (don’t mix the flour in – it’s just to keep the dough from sticking!) and turn it over inside the mixing bowl to coat with flour on all sides. Cover with a tea towel and let rise on the counter for about 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.

SHAPE THE DOUGH & FINAL RISE (30 MIN):

1. When dough has doubled in size, lightly flour a large cutting board.
2. Tip the dough out of the bowl and onto the cutting board. DON’T PUNCH THE DOUGH DOWN – you want to keep all those nice air bubbles intact so you have an airy, delicious loaf of bread. (Tip: If the dough is sticking to the bowl a little bit, just wet your hand with a bit of water and gently separate the dough from the bowl to get it all out).
3. Sprinkle a bit of flour across the top of the dough, then begin shaping it into a round loaf. I like to pull each corner of the dough in towards the center (like I’m folding an envelope) a few times, then flip the dough over and tap it into a nice round loaf.
4. Flour a proofing basket or a small mixing bowl and place your loaf into it seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise another 30 minutes or so, until not quite doubled in size.

HEAT THE OVEN:

1. While bread does its final rise, place an empty dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and heat to 460 degrees F.

BAKE!

1. 1. When the oven is hot, you’re ready to go! Use oven mitts to pull the dutch oven out and remove the lid.

1. Tip your bread dough gently out of the proofing basket back onto your floured cutting board. The seam side should face up this time – that’s what gives it a nice crackly look on top! If you’d like, you can tip the bread onto a piece of parchment paper to help you lift it in and out of the pot easily.
2. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of asiago cheese over the top of the bread.
3. VERY CAREFULLY (without burning yourself!) lift the bread loaf and place it – seam side UP, this time – into the hot dutch oven.
4. Put your oven mitts back on, put the dutch oven lid back on the pot, and slide the whole thing back into the centermost rack of your hot oven.
5. Cook bread for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, remove the lid from your dutch oven. The bread should be crusty and very lightly browned.
7. Continue cooking the bread, uncovered, for 10-20 minutes more until the bread has deepened in color and you have a beautiful brown crust.
8. When bread is done, use oven mitts to pull the pot out of your oven.
9. Use a long spatula to lift the bread out of the dutch oven and onto a cooling rack.
10. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it.
11. Slice, slather with butter, and enjoy!