"We like our bread homemade. And homeschooled."
I started making no-knead bread a month or two after the hysteria broke, and I've made three loaves so far. The first one tasted best, the second (pictured above) looked the best and the third was the least amount of hassle. If we go by birth order stereotypes, I can expect Loaf Number One to live with me until it is thirty-two. Loaf Number Two will vote to put me in a home the moment I accidentally call her by the dog's name, and Loaf Number Three will get the vacation home.
Oh, my little yeastie-beasties.
Peer Pressure in Loaf Form
Adapted from Jim Lahey and Mark Bittman
3 cups AP flour
1 1/2 to 3/4 cups tap water
1/3 + 1/8 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast (What is up, Fractions? Thanks for lowering your expectations of me!)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
20 hours before you'd like some bread:
In a large bowl, I use a wide Pyrex one, measure (dip and sweep method) and dump flour, yeast and salt. Add the first 1 1/2 cups of water, stirring to form a shaggy dough. I use more, and I find this gives me more holes without a damp crumb. So add that extra 1/4 cup if you like. Cover dough tightly with saran wrap and place in a warm, calm enviroment. I send mine to Promises Rehab. Or the microwave, or the oven (off) with the pilot light switched on.
17 hours before you'd like some bread:
Freak the fuck out and peel back the saran wrap. Dump in a little extra flour (3 tablespoons or so) and stir until combined. Re-cover, and allow to rest in peace.
17 hours after that:
Flour a sheet of parchment paper, really just cake it on, and pour the flabby dough with the aide of a spatula or your hand onto floured paper. Tuck sides until you form a tidy little ball, or a lazy, semi-rectangular slab. Dust with flour and cover with a towel or another piece of parchment. Rest for 1 to two hours.
30 minutes before the resting period is over, place your baking instrument into the oven and bake at 450 degrees for half an hour. I use a Chefmate enameled cast iron dutch oven, but others use le creuset, lodge, Pyrex bowls with a Pyrex pie dish for the "lid". I think Tupperware would be ideal, really. Or one of those plastic Thai Food storage containers. Great!
When 30 minutes is up, carefully remove pot and lid, and flop the dough inside. Cover and return to the oven as fast as you can. If not there already, up heat to 450 and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for 10-30 minutes more, until loaf is golden brown.
Remove from oven, cool in pot for 10 minutes then carefully, carefully remove and allow to cool completely on a rack.
Notes:
No one will be able to make you feel as good about the bread as the bread makes you feel about yourself. I've never won a political election, or performed on Star Search, or been invited on to Whitesnake's tour bus, but I can only imagine that the elation that follows those events is nearly on par with what I felt the first time I made this bread.
Do you grease the baking "bowl" and lid before heating it in the 450 oven? When you say "flop the dough inside" do you mean flip it in on its head or scoot it off the parchment, dusting flour and all?
Do you have an explanation for the 17 hrs "rest in peace"?
How come your first loaf is so beautiful??
What do you have against Tupperware or Thai food containers?
Posted by: Agnes Thomsen | December 19, 2008 at 01:16 PM
i just laughed so hard. i had the exact same sentiments way back when. My first batch was fantastic. Everything else...not so much. It's like heroine...chasing that high. That dragon...or so I've been told.
im gonna try the Cook Illustrated one...the second i decide that eating carbs is good again. Or when I feel like I finally have a good 20+ hours to babysit bread.
it was such the rage this bread...do you think that dude every made money off of it? I did see Martha do it on her TV show. That blew me away.
Posted by: tracy | January 07, 2008 at 02:31 PM
i agree with your sentiments when i made this bread. I was on a high for like 2 weeks and told everyone I know about it. It's the fact that you can make something sooo wonderfully tasty...and you didn't have to buy it.
i love the crackle sounds it makes when you pull it out of the oven.
Posted by: tracy | October 15, 2007 at 01:19 PM
As promised, I am reporting on my second loaf. It did just fine with the smaller amount of yeast though it isn't as pretty as yours. I let it rest longer than the 18 hours and it did fine. If interested, here is the link:
http://sassypriscilla.typepad.com/sassy_priscillas_craft/2007/03/no_knead_bread_.html#trackback
Posted by: Miss Sassy | March 17, 2007 at 05:33 PM
I'm on my second loaf tonight (will be ready tomorrow). I'm worried about my yeast now as you are using a bit more than me - I only used 1/4 tsp. Will have to update with how it turns out a light year from now.
Posted by: Miss Sassy | March 15, 2007 at 10:17 PM
Ive read alot of instruction on how to make this No-knead bread and I must say, yours is the best! Nice job.. I wasnt bored at all..
Crystal
thepantry.wordpress.com
Posted by: Crystal | March 15, 2007 at 12:58 PM