Crusty Bread

I hate to overdo it with the photos but I always wonder if my ingredients look like they are supposed to every step of the way. Especially bread. And since this bread is incredibly easy and incredibly delicious, I wanted to reassure you that it DOES look right so TRY THIS RECIPE.
Honestly, trying to do the time calculations was the hardest part.

Ingredients:
3 c. all purpose flour or bread flour, plus more (lots more) for dusting
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
2 1/2 tsp. salt
cornmeal or wheat bran as needed
1 5/8 c. water (5/8 is between 1/2 and 3/4 - which I had to figure out)

In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water and stir until well blended; dough will be sticky and shaggy like photo below. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 12 hours, preferably 18, at warm room temperature. (Yes, really.)
I started my bread at 6pm on Sunday night.

After it's rested, it will look like the photo below.
(Mine had been in the bowl for about 19 hours.)

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
Again, see below.
(I did this at 1:15 p.m. Monday afternoon.)

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Place dough on flour dusted towel, and cover with another floured towel. Don't go easy on this or it will stick to the towel(s). Let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

Below is after rising for 2 hours between towels.
Mine was ready at 3:30p.m.

At least 1/2 hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450. Put a 6-8 quart heavy pot and lid in the oven as it heats. (Cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic - I used a big non-stick soup pot.) When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from the oven. Slide hand under towel and turn dough over in pot, seam side up (it may look like a mess, but it will be fine). Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove and bake another 15-30 minutes, until loaf is browned. Cool on a rack. (I would probably have put mine in for 12 minutes uncovered. Depends on your oven.)

The crust is manageably crispy and the inside is chewy.
TASTY.

Printable recipe here.