In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in any desired herbs or spices, such as fresh rosemary.

Pour the warm water into the mixture and stir using a spoon or spatula until everything is thoroughly blended. The dough will have a wet, batter-like consistency.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let the dough rise at room temperature until it has approximately doubled in volume. This should take about 45 minutes with rapid rise yeast, or 1.5 hours with active dry yeast.

Do not deflate the dough. Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet (10" or 12") with approximately 1 tablespoon of oil.

Add a drizzle of oil over the dough and also apply some to your hands to prevent sticking. Carefully release the dough from the sides of the bowl and shape it into a ball with your hands. Don't worry about imperfections.

Transfer the shaped dough to the oiled skillet and cover it with a towel again. Allow it to rise until it becomes airy, which will take about 30 minutes for rapid rise yeast or 1 hour for active dry yeast.

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 400ºF.

Once risen, drizzle more oil over the bread's surface, score the dough with a knife to create several slashes or an X pattern, and sprinkle with coarse salt and optional rosemary.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. For an extra crispy crust, switch on the broiler for the last 5 minutes, keeping an eye on it to avoid burning.

After baking, let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This resting period helps improve the texture and keeps the bread fresh longer.

Store any leftover sliced bread at room temperature with the cut side down on a cutting board for up to 2 days. For longer preservation, transfer to a bag and seal. Slices can be frozen for freshness and toasted directly from frozen.