Gather ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and optional sugar or oil
Mix warm water with yeast and let it sit briefly if using active dry yeast
Combine flour and salt in a bowl
Add the yeast mixture to the flour
Mix until a rough dough forms
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic
Place the dough in a greased bowl
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until doubled in size
Punch down the dough
Shape the dough into a loaf or desired form
Place the shaped dough in a greased loaf pan or on a baking tray
Cover and let it rise again until puffy
Preheat the oven
Bake until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped
Remove from the oven and let it cool before slicing