No-Knead Bread (Long Ferment Using Yeast)
Jim Lahey from Sullivan Street Bakery New York was the father of the no knead bread (without stacks of yeast) many years ago now, and this recipe is based on his.
If maintaining a sourdough starter starts to rob you of the will to live, I want you to try this, because the final result looks very like sourdough, and it is incredibly straightforward.
Makes 1 loaf.
Ingredients 4
450 g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1⁄4 tsp instant yeast
1⁄2 tsp salt
300 ml water
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Method 11
In a large bowl, combine the , and . Add the and stir well – the dough will be wet and sticky.
Cover the bowl with a cloth (or a shower cap!) and let it rest for at least 12 hours (you can leave it up to 18) at room temperature. The dough is ready when the surface is dotted with bubbles.
After the long fermentation, and leaving the dough in the bowl, pull the dough from the bottom over the top of itself, turning the bowl as you go. Keep working until you form a ball. It’ll still be pretty wet. Leave it to rest.
Come back half an hour later and pull the dough up and over itself, turning the bowl as you go. The dough should feel more elastic and be able to hold its shape. Leave for another half an hour. Do this one more time – so you’ve folded and flipped the dough into a ball three times over about 1½ hours.
Then, using just enough to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, flip the dough out of the bowl and gently shape it into a ball.
Sprinkle a cotton or linen tea towel (dish towel) with and place the dough, seam side up (that is, top-down), on the towel and dust with more flour.
Fold the tea towel over the dough and let it rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, the dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked.
At least half an hour before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F). Put a heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel or ceramic) in the oven as it heats.
When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the tea towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side down. It may look like a mess, but it’s okay, it will straighten out as it bakes.
Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes until the loaf is beautifully browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Cool on a rack, and don’t cut into it when it’s hot.
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Notes
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