16 March 2010

No knead bread

I was reminded today of our mortality, our frailty. What matters in life. Family. Time on the beach. A nice dinner with friends.

Here's an easy loaf of bread to accompany a meal, adapted from the book, My Bread. It requires almost no effort, just a little forethought, and a scale:
400 g bread flour
8 g salt
¼ tsp active dry yeast
300 g water
additional flour for dusting
Mix everything together until the flour is wet.

Unrisen dough

Let rise in a warm place, 12-24 hours.

Risen dough

Coat your fingers with dry flour, then scoop the dough out of the bowl and fold it into a loaf in as few motions as possible. Dust the loaf with flour.

Dough

Take a smooth, cotton tea towel (has to be smooth, terry cloth sticks), and dust heavily with flour. Lay the loaf smooth side up on the towel, dust the other side, and cover lightly with the towel. Let rise 2 more hours.

Half an hour from being done rising, heat an enamel pot in the oven (like this one) at 475°F. After half an hour, remove the pot from the oven, and gently drop the loaf into the hot pot (careful, you don't want to burn yourself here). Close the pot, and place back in the oven.

Bake 30 minutes, lid on, and another 10 minutes, lid off to bronze the loaf. The closed lid acts to keep steam in the pot, giving the effect of a humidified oven. Then opening the pot helps to darken the loaf. To give you this:

Bread

The extra long rising gives it a nice fermented flavour that I haven't found in other breads. Delicious.

Cool loaf 1 hour, then serve to loved ones.

4 comments:

* said...

your wife is lucky to have you!

Quirkberry said...

This truly is a delicious bread, and even I can bake it! I know that I am commenting on an old post, do forgive me. I did want to ask you if you've ever tried to mix some herbs in with the dough? Since I am not an aficionado when it comes to baking I don't know what adding herbs might do to the fermenting process. Any ideas?

Indirect Heat said...

I would tend to add herbs toward the end, but I'm sure you could add whatever you like. A hearty bread like this one would likely take fresh rosemary or thyme quite well.

Rob said...

I've been making this bread for over 3 years and it is so good. You can add things like olives, herbs etc and things like cheese you can add after the 12-24 hrs.

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