Skip to main content

The Easiest Bread Recipe

I have to confess that I'm a little behind in my blog for this week.  To tide you over, here's a recipe for super easy, no-knead bread that practically makes itself.

You can make endless variations on this recipe (at least I haven't come to an end) by switching out some of the AP flour for whole wheat (not all of it, that makes for a pretty unpleasant loaf), adding nuts, seeds, grains, spices, herbs, a little sourdough starter, a touch of olive oil, etc.  You can even put in a scoop of canned pumpkin (decrease the water a little bit) and some cinnamon.  Or soak garlic cloves in olive oil, then brush the top of the loaf with the infused oil and sprinkle with sea salt and dried parsley before baking.  Once you get the hang of the basic loaf, the sky's the limit.

If you add just enough extra flour to make the dough a little more stable, you can form a standard loaf, or rolls, or even braid it, if that's your heart's desire.  It probably wouldn't make a bad pizza dough, either, although I have yet to try that.

Equipment needed:  Liquid and solid measuring cups, measuring spoons, large mixing bowl, plastic wrap, parchment paper, 6 quart enameled cast iron stock pot.

Ingredients:

5 cups AP flour
1 tsp yeast
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups water

Dump all ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir until combined (I mix by hand - don't knead).  Sprinkle a little flour on top, cover with plastic wrap, leave out on kitchen counter, and go to bed.

When you get up in the morning, punch dough down if necessary (how much the dough rises will depend on how warm and humid your kitchen is).  Put stock pot with lid in oven and pre-heat to 500. Leave pot and lid in oven for 30 minutes.

While oven is heating, dump dough out onto well-floured surface and form into ball.  Place on parchment paper, dust top of dough lightly with flour, and cover again with plastic wrap.

When oven is fully heated, remove pot - don't forget how hot that pot is!  Remove plastic wrap from dough, and put the dough with parchment paper in the pot.  Cover with lid, and return to oven.  Reduce heat to 450, and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove lid and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool just enough that it's safe to eat, because man is it delicious warm!  Enjoy!!!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The complexity of communication

com·mu·ni·ca·tion ( kə ˌ myo ͞ on ə ˈ k ā SH( ə )n/) noun - the imparting or exchanging of information or news Sounds simple, right?  And at its heart, sure, the concept of communication is simple.  You let me know something, I respond, repeat as necessary, and the expected result is that an idea has been shared to the satisfaction of both parties. But we’ve all had a misunderstanding or even an argument that illustrates darned well the complexity of communication.  Ever struggled to figure out why a fussy baby is crying? While you read this, do you know which words I’m emphasizing, if I’m trying to be funny, what I might be exaggerating, or when I’m completely sincere?    The words we say are just a small part of what we communicate.  Intent, mannerisms, and personal experience all influence purpose and perception.  We can communicate without saying a word (let me add that I am mightily jealous of anyone who can raise one eyebrow at a ...

Making the most of an open office

The open office: love it or hate it, you probably don’t get to choose the layout of your workspace.  You can decide, though, to make the most of it.  Here are a few tips for getting along and maximizing productivity in a big, busy, loud space. Noise canceling headphones are invaluable in a shared workspace.  On a phone call, keep your attention where it belongs.  Use Plantronics’ Voyager Focus for maximum passive and active noise cancelling, both so you can concentrate on what’s being said and so that background noise doesn’t annoy your caller.  When you’re not on a call, use the Focus to listen to music, block out the surrounding noise and allow you to, well, focus.  Inevitably, headphone fatigue will set in, no matter what device you use.  Consider that fatigue a reminder to take a walk, stretch your legs, and refresh your mind. All offices should have available spaces where employees can shut the door and get a little quiet or have a priva...

How to Navigate A Casual Dress Code

In my first office job, women were required to wear skirts or dresses, preferably with high heels.  No pants allowed, hosiery mandatory, flats frowned upon.  Yes, I wore oversized blazers that had shoulder pads augmented by shoulder pads, with shiny blouses and long skirts. On my break, I switched my tasteful pumps for Reebok high tops for a quick power walk.  I will also confess, just between friends, to a big floppy bow tying back my poufy hair.  See that outfit on the left?  I had one almost exactly like it.  Many years later (and I think you can do the math based on the outfit), I sit at my desk in jeans, a t-shirt, a sweater and boots.  My feet don’t hurt, there are no pantyhose to run (back in those days, I always kept an extra pair in my desk for emergencies), and I don’t have dry cleaning bills to worry about.  I think I look OK.  Although I am dressed casually, my outfit is color-coordinated and (I hope) stylish.  And, ac...