Directions: |
Directions:In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast
Add the water and using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix until you have a wet sticky dough-About 30seconds
Make sure it's really sticky to the touch, if it's not, mix another tablespoon or two of water
Cover the bowl with a plate, tea towel or plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature
(about 72F), out of direct sunlight, until the surface is dotted with bubbles and he dough is more than doubled in size
This will take a minimum of 12hours and (my preference) up to 18hours
THIS SLOW RISE-FERMENTATION- IS THE KEY TO FLAVOUR
When the fermentation is complete, generously dust a work surface (a wooden or plastic cutting board is fine) with flour
Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the board in one piece
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 flavour
Use lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the centre
Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round
Place a cotton or linen tea towel (not terry cloth, which tends to stick and may leave lint in the dough) or a large cloth napkin on your work surface and generously dust the cloth 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 1-2hours
The dough is ready when it is almost doubled
If you gently poke it with your finger, making an indentation about 1/4inch deep, it should hold the impression, If it doesn't, let it rise for another 15mins
Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475F, with racks in the lower third position, and place a covered 4 1/2-5 1/2 quart heavy pot in the centre of the rack
Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it
Unfold the tea towel, lightly dust the dough with flour or bran, lift up the dough, either on the towel or in your hands, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up
(USE CAUTION- the pot will be very hot)
Cover the pot and bake for 30mins
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut colour but not burnt, 15 to 30mins 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 |
This recipe for NO KNEAD BREAD is from