Perfect and Easy- No Knead Bread

When I first started this blog my friend Sarah sent me a link to a recipe for a "No Knead Bread". I looked it over but it seemed almost too simple. I wasn't ready for that yet. I was having too much fun kneading my bread and letting it rise and kneading again! Months later I revisited the recipe and decided to try it out. The results are amazing and I haven't looked back! This is my bread of choice now!

Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine table salt (or 3/4 tablespoon of kosher salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel...something that can go into a 450F oven.) I have invested in an enamel over cast iron, dutch oven, mine is the Costco version of a Le Creuset

Directions:

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop.

2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly.


With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours.


When you've got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.

3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, turn over and dump wobbly dough into pot, using your hands to get the dough off the towel. Doesn't matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F.


Remove and let cool on wired rack.


If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Best way to eat it? Smear a warm slice with some good butter.

Come on, it's gorgeous right?!!


I have also experimented with skipping the step where you let the bread nap for 2 hours in a floured towel before baking. That produces a ciabatta type bread. Sometimes I'll sprinkle a little kosher salt on the top when I dump it into the hot pan, it gives the bread a great extra something when you eat it smeared with butter!