There is a place in Heaven called the Sullivan Street Bakery. It has the most amazing breads, doughnuts and sandwiches. I came across this recipe and cried. It is the actual recipe from Jim Lahey, the owner of Sullivan Street Bakery. I knew I had to try it. It is so easy to make and only calls for 5 ingredients! The one thing you need for this recipe is time. If you plan on serving it at a dinner party you need to start it the night before. I just took my bread out of the oven my home smells delicious and the bread is outstanding. Try it. Promise you'll impress even yourself.

No Knead Bread
*adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery

3 cups flour or bread flour
1/4 tsp instant yeast (yep that's all)
1 Tbs. Salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf. Printable recipe

This is what it looks like when you combine all the ingredients. Kinda sticky. Put plastic wrap over the bowl and let it set in your kitchen for 12-18 hours.

This is what your dough looks like after it sets. Bubbly at the top and sticky...that means the gluten is working.

Pour dough onto floured surface and turn ends in to make a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 min. Then sprinkle corn meal, bran or flour on clean kitchen towel. Place dough on towel and sprinkle again. Place a second kitchen towel over the dough and let it rise for two hours. It should double in size.

After rising two hours. During the last half hour of rising, preheat empty dutch oven in 450 degree oven.
Put your hand under the dishtowel and carefully place the dough in the hot dutch oven. It will be upside down so the seam is on top. That is great and will look great once bread is cooked. After cooking at 450 with the lid on, remove the lid and cook 15 minutes longer until it is a beautiful brown. (I sprinkled Rosemary on my bread for a little flava)
Ta Da! This is the end product. It comes out of the pan easily and if you tap it lightly it sounds hollow. Let it cool...if you can.
Look at that gorgeous crumb! I love it with butter but it is also delicious dipped in a vinegar and olive oil mixture.

Labels: bread

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