No-Knead Bread (Boule)

I'm really loving Pinterest.  It's such a great way to organize all the websites you frequently visit, in addition to finding many new ones.  Recently while perusing Pinterest, I found this recipe for a no-knead bread.  I remembered seeing this recipe posted in my local paper a year ago (or so), and I had cut it out and saved it with every intention of making it someday.  But that recipe got lost in what I will call the black hole in my recipe drawer, never to be seen again and hence forgotten.

With Pinterest I was able to "pin it" to my "cooking" board, and the recipe is now saved and easy to access.  Long story short, I made the bread, and was so thrilled with the results, I knew I had to share it with all those that visit my blog.

The no-knead bread recipe was created by Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York and became famous when he shared it with a writer of the New York Times back in 2006.  Since then, there have been many variations and a bunch of YouTube videos on how to make this unbelievably easy to make bread.

As the name implies, you do not have to knead this bread.  It does have a very long rise time though, so you do want to mix the ingredients the night before you want to serve it ~ a good 18 hours before.

Here is a picture of my first loaf.  Yum! Yum! Yum!!!!

No-Knead Bread


Ingredients


3 cups all-purpose or bread Flour
1-1/2 cups Water
1/2 teaspoon active dry Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoon Salt
Olive Oil (for coating)
extra flour (for dusting)

Equipment Needed:  5.5 quart Cast iron, ceramic or Le Creuset roasting pan with a lid.  I use a Lodge cast iron roasting pan.

Directions


1.  Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add water, and mix with a wooden spoon until well mixed.  The dough will be very sticky.

2.  Lightly coat a second bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 18 hours.

3.  Place the cast iron pan with the lid in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  You will want to heat the pan in the oven for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Note:  I did not grease or oil the pot.

4.  Meanwhile, heavily flour your work surface.  (I use a large piece of parchment paper.)  Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the floured surface.  Add some flour on top and some to your hands (to help in keeping the dough from sticking to your hands.) and form the dough into a ball.  Cover and let rest while the oven and pan are preheating.

5.  Carefully remove the pot from the oven.  Remember, it's going to be VERY hot, so be very careful not to burn yourself.  Place the dough in the pot, cover and bake for 30 minutes.

6.  Remove the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes uncovered, until the loaf is nicely browned.

Enjoy!