Good bread mostly needs time.
Short notes on baking a daily loaf at home, with an ordinary oven and four ingredients.
Weigh, do not scoop
A cup of flour can vary by a fifth depending on how it is filled. A cheap kitchen scale removes most of the guesswork from a dough.
Let the dough rest
Twenty minutes after mixing, before any salt or kneading, the flour takes up the water and the dough becomes easier to handle.
Fold instead of kneading
Three or four gentle folds during the first rise build enough strength for a simple loaf, and they take less than a minute each.
Bake darker than you think
A deep brown crust carries most of the flavour. Leave the loaf in a little longer, then let it cool fully before cutting.