See notes for making this without a Dutch oven.
Note: The dough in this recipe is sticky, gently handle with a silicone spatula throughout this process. (Not your hands.)
Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Cover with saran wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.
Combine the flour and salt and stir to combine. Add the olive oil and water/yeast mixture and use a silicone spatula to combine until all of the flour is moist. The dough will be sticky.
Roughly shape into a ball and be sure to spray the top with cooking spray. Cover with saran wrap, and then with a dish towel. Let rise for 2-3 hours, until at least doubled in size. See notes for rising tips.
Optional step after rising: Transfer to the fridge for up to 3 days to develop more flavor. It will rise more, and may eventually deflate slightly, but that’s okay. After refrigerating, proceed with the steps below.
Use a silicone spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl and turn it onto a sheet of floured parchment paper. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dough onto itself, by taking the outer edges and folding them into the middle, until a sturdier ball is formed. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, and cover loosely with saran wrap. Let it rest/rise for 45 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 425° F and place the Dutch oven inside, uncovered. (Verify that this is an acceptable practice with your brand of Dutch oven, some advise against preheating it with nothing inside.)
Remove the saran wrap from the dough. Using oven mitts, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Lift the parchment paper and carefully lower the parchment paper and dough into the Dutch oven. Close the lid right away and transfer it to the oven.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and use a pastry brush to distribute 1 tablespoon of butter over the top, until melted. This will help it achieve a golden-brown color.
Return it to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Allow the bread to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing in.