Makes 3 loaves
In a saucepan, combine water, salt, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil, set aside and cool. Sift flour into a large bowl. Dissolve yeast in warm water. When dissolved, stir the yeast mixture and 2 1/2 cups water into the flour. Now add the cooled water and sugar mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough no longer sticks to the spoon - about 10 minutes. Turn onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Rub dough with softened butter. Place dough in a large bowl. Cover with a towel and let dough rise until doubled - about 1 1/4 hours. When the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into 3 equal parts. Butter 3 9-inch round cake pans and place dough into pans. Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until bread is browned and done, about another 35-45 minutes.