Preparing the dough

To start, add the flour, salt, and yeast to the inner pot of the Instant Pot and mix it well.

Gradually add water and use a wooden spoon to combine it until it forms a wet sticky dough.

Next, close the lid to the Instant Pot and allow the dough to ferment for an hour on yogurt mode until it becomes puffy and dotted with bubbles.

Once the hour has passed, open the lid of the pot. First, wet your hands and then gently stretch and fold the dough in the center of the pot.

Next, close the lid and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes on yogurt mode.

After 15 minutes, open the lid again and repeat the process of stretching and folding the dough.

Allow the dough to rest again for 15 minutes on yogurt mode. After 15 minutes,  stretch and fold the dough one last time.

The dough should be puffy but still wet and sticky.

Finally, place the lid back on top and allow it to rest for 30 more minutes on yogurt mode.

Shaping and Baking the bread

When the dough is in its final proofing, preheat the oven to 450 F or 230 C. Place an oven safe bowl with at least 2 cups of water on the bottom In the bottom rack.

Next, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and then dust it generously with flour.

Carefully transfer the dough onto the parchment paper. You need to make sure you don’t destroy the air pockets as you place the bread on the sheet.

Dust more flour on top and use a scraper to divide the dough into two portions for two bread loaves. Use your hands to give the dough a rectangle. Or, you can use the scraper to give it a cleaner rectangle shape.

Next, place the cookie sheet with the dough on the middle rack of the oven. And then throw in a few ice cubes into the bowl of water on the lower rack.

Finally, bake the dough for 30 mins until the bread becomes golden brown on the top and sounds hollow when you tap the bread on the bottom.

Before serving, allow it to cool.