Bread Season

Now that the weather’s cooling off, I’m super-pumped to be back to baking bread. I’ve got several breads that I like to make, but mostly I make variations on the no-knead recipe. This bread has been all the rage for the past couple years, and for a good reason. The basic formula is as simple (and delicious) as it gets, and it’s infinitely adaptable. The bread turns out like a ciabatta loaf- a moist and chewy interior crumb with a hearty, crusty exterior. You just can’t beat it for dipping into soup, mopping up pasta sauce, or paired with a hearty cheese. Keep in mind that in order to refresh the bread toasting is pretty much a must after one day.

The amounts in the recipe aren’t exact. Don’t worry, it’ll work out. Here’s the basics:

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
pinch of salt
just under 2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. The dough will be shaggy. Cover it tightly with plastic and set it in a warm spot for 12-18 hours. The dough will have more than doubled in size and will be bubbly. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and give it a few turns and flips with your hands or a board scraper. Generously flour a tea towel (not terry cloth). Move the dough to the towel, getting it as close to a round shape as you can. Gently cover the dough with a second floured towel. Let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About a half hour before your rise is done, place a covered dutch oven (or covered heavy casserole) in a cold oven. Set the oven to 450 degrees. The pot will slowly heat up with the oven. After 30-40 minutes, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Working quickly, pick up the dough from the tea towel and place (or flip) it into the pot. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look quite even or beautiful; everything will straighten out in the bake. Replace the lid of the pot and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes. After that time, remove the lid and bake the bread for 15-25 additional minutes, until it’s browned. Remove the bread from the pot and cool on a rack for at least 45 minutes before cutting.

Some of my Favorite Variations
Use these variations alone or in combination. Experiment. This is why baking bread never gets old. Well, experimenting and also eating a warm slice, slathered with butter.

Other flours
-I’ve used over 2 cups of whole wheat flour, but the texture of the bread suffers. I usually go with 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat. I also like to add a couple tablespoons ground flax.
Herbs
-Add 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs. A combination of rosemary, thyme, and black pepper turned out to be a hit.
Nuts and seeds
-Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds
Cheese
-After the first rise, when you’ve dumped the dough onto the counter, fold in 1/2 to 2/3 cup cubed parmesan, crumbled blue cheese, shredded or cubed cheddar

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