No-Knead Crusty Bread
Recipe by Gingham
A crackly, bakery-style loaf from four ingredients and a covered pot. Time does the kneading for you.
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
- Extra flour, for dusting
Method
Stir the flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Add the water and stir until you have a shaggy, sticky dough with no dry flour left, about 30 seconds.
Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until it has more than doubled and is bubbly on top.
Flour the counter well and scrape out the dough. Fold the edges into the middle to make a rough ball.
Set it seam side down on a floured sheet of parchment, cover it with a towel, and let it rise until puffy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Half an hour before it's ready, put a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and heat it to 450°F.
Carefully lift the dough by the parchment into the hot pot, cover it, and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake until deep brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing, since it keeps cooking inside.
Notes from the source
Mix in a cup of grated cheese or chopped olives with the water if you like. Keeps 2 days, cut side down on a board.