Luckily, when you start making bread from scratch, it tends to gets better and better. I've been trying various recipes for about the past three years and have been getting a feel for what works and what just flops. My non-picky husband will eat any bread-like thing that I put in front of him, so nothing has gone to waist over the years. Today, though, I just made my beast bread ever and I may only make this bread from now on...
Favorite No-Knead Peasant Bread
(you'll need a large cast iron pot with a lid)
3 cups warm water
1 1/2 packets yeast (1 1/2 Tbs.)
1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour
5 1/2 cups white flour
(cornmeal for parchment)
In a large plastic bucket with a lid, mix water with yeast. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until moistened. Cover with the lid lightly and let sit at room temp. for 2 hours. Use the dough now or put in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Prepare a piece of parchment paper about 9" wide and sprinkle it with a little cornmeal. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; then reach in and pull out 1/2 of dough, cutting it off with a serrated knife. Use your floured hands to tuck the dough under itself tightly to make a smooth surface on top. Set the ball on the parchment and let sit for 1 hour. Put your covered, cast iron pot in the oven and let preheat to 450 degrees.
Use a serrated knife to cut 3 slits in the top of your dough, at a diagonal. When the oven is hot, take out the pan and place the dough, still sitting on the parchment into the pot and cover it. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes more. Lift the beautiful bread out of the pot and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
Enjoy!
(you'll need a large cast iron pot with a lid)
3 cups warm water
1 1/2 packets yeast (1 1/2 Tbs.)
1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour
5 1/2 cups white flour
(cornmeal for parchment)
In a large plastic bucket with a lid, mix water with yeast. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until moistened. Cover with the lid lightly and let sit at room temp. for 2 hours. Use the dough now or put in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Prepare a piece of parchment paper about 9" wide and sprinkle it with a little cornmeal. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour; then reach in and pull out 1/2 of dough, cutting it off with a serrated knife. Use your floured hands to tuck the dough under itself tightly to make a smooth surface on top. Set the ball on the parchment and let sit for 1 hour. Put your covered, cast iron pot in the oven and let preheat to 450 degrees.
Use a serrated knife to cut 3 slits in the top of your dough, at a diagonal. When the oven is hot, take out the pan and place the dough, still sitting on the parchment into the pot and cover it. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes more. Lift the beautiful bread out of the pot and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
