Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl, then add the water. Stir to create a rough, sticky dough, then to a porridge consistency. The dough should be sticky and wet at this stage, if it isn't add a splash of water.
Mix with your hand for 10 minutes.
Pop the contents of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, rhythmically stretching the dough away from you, then folding it back on itself. The idea is to stretch and develop the gluten within the dough, not to beat the living daylights out of it. The dough will become less sticky and easier to handle as you knead. The wetter the dough, the sexier the bread.
When the dough is smooth and elastic, either stretch it out to pop your ingredients in if you are making my loaves with the pesto and goats cheese and form into a ball, or if you are making plain bread, just form it straight into a ball. Coat in oil and pop into a clean bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size, it should take about 1½ hours.
Shape the dough into loaves and leave to prove for another 45 minutes.
Carefully transfer the risen loaves to a tray, slash the tops with a sharp serrated knife and put in the oven.
Bake for 45 minutes at 220c/200c fan/425f/ gas 7, until the crust is well coloured and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap the bottom sharply with your fingers.
Do not eat warm, the bread is still cooking, wait until it has cooled and then eat. If it isn't quite cooked through, pop it back in the oven for 20 minutes at 175c.
