No-Knead Bread

From “Genius Recipes” by Kristen Miglore (Recipe by Jim Lahey)

Makes one 10-inch (25cm) round loaf (11⁄4 pounds/570g)

• 3 cups (400g) bread flour
• 11⁄4 teaspoons (8g) table salt or fine sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon (1g) instant or other active dry yeast
• 11⁄2 cups (360g) cool (55°F to 65°F/13°C to 18°C) water
• Wheat bran, cornmeal, or additional flour for dusting

1 In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and
yeast. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl with a plate, kitchen towel, or plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature (about 72°F/22°C), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is doubled in size. This will take a minimum of 12 hours and (Lahey’s preference) up to 18 hours. The slow rise— fermentation—is the key to flavor.

2 When the first fermentation is complete, generously
dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour.When you begin to pull the dough away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky—do not add more flour. Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Nudge and tuck the edges of the dough to make it round.

3 Place a cotton or linen kitchen towel or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Use your hands or a bowl scraper or wooden spatula to gently lift the dough onto the towel, so it is seam side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about 1⁄4 inch (6mm) deep, it should hold the impression. If it doesn’t, let it rise for another 15 minutes.

4 Half an hour before the end of the second rise,
preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with a rack in the lower third position, and place a covered 41⁄2– to 51⁄2-quart (4.5 to 5L) heavy pot in the center of the rack.

5 Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the kitchen towel, lift up the dough—either on the towel or in your hand—and quickly but gently invert it into the pot so the dough lands seam side up. Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.

6 Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread
is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly. Don’t slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour.