Baguette

I apolgize that this may or may not be the recipe used for the bread I served at book group, but I threw away the handwritten-on-a-scrap-piece-of-paper version that I used that fateful night. But, as best I can remember, this is what it was.

4 cups Flour
1 tbsp. Dry Active Yeast
1-2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Warm Water
Oil for bowl

How to make it:
1. In a bowl, mix together the flour and the salt.
2. In another bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and half of the flour/salt mixture. Using your hands, mix until it forms a dough. Then, cover with a dish cloth and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours. It should triple in size. (Mine didn't.)
3. Gently incorporate the rest of the flour/salt, using your hands.
4. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. It should be supple and elastic when you stop kneading. (Mine was wet.)
5. Lightly oil a bowl. Place dough in bowl. Cover with a dish towel. Let sit for 1 hour. It should double in size. (Mine didn't.)
6. Preheat oven to 450°F. Knead again. Then cut dough into 3 parts and form each part into a long baguette. (I've read that this should be really tight to get the loaf to rise properly, but as mine was wet . . . .) Place on a (greased) baking sheet. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
7. Place a bowl of water (or a tray of ice cubes on a lower pan) in the oven. Bake baguettes for about 25 minutes (maybe less). Remove the bowl of water after 15 minutes of baking.