We all need a great bread recipe don’t we? Well after making many recipes, I have the one…you “knead” the most…this no knead bread recipe (lol). Actually I’ve been making this bread for many years and we just love it. It’s idiot proof, tastes yummy and it’s a recipe worth blogging about.
I grew up eating homemade bread daily, being Italian and all…my father would make bread every other day, honestly he would. I can’t remember my mother ever buying a loaf of bread ever. It was great to see him start off with the yeast and flour, then he’d knead the dough and he would just know when it was the right time to stop kneading. He’d let the dough rise and he’d wait…here came the fun part, he’d take the risen dough and he’d “punch” the dough to release the gases…he then would shape the dough and let it rise again before baking it. As soon as that bread came out of the oven my sister and I would lather butter and sugar on top…OMG…it was heaven.
If you searched the web for no knead bread recipes, you’d find many recipes as it seems like everyone is making no knead bread lately. I’ve tried a few recipes and different methods but I always come back to this recipe. It’s super easy, you basically throw all your ingredients into a bowl, mix it up, I put mine in a food storage container (I drill a small hole on the top to allow the gases to release)
and let it rise…after 1/2 an hour…
after an hour…
after an hour and a 1/2…
after 2 hours…
for 2 hours (or so) and then after the dough collapses
you put in the fridge until you are ready to use it. You can leave it in your container for up to a week in your refrigerator.
Here is the best part, when you want fresh bread, you take your container out of the refrigerator, tear off some of the dough, shape it…leave it out on the counter for 30 minutes and throw it in the oven for 15-20 minutes…the bread comes out crusty
on the outside and tender in the inside and best of all, your house will smell like an Italian bakery. Whenever I make it, it brings back fond memories from my childhood. I hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Water (110 degrees)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Yeast, fact acting
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 3 cups Bread flour (if you have it)
- 3 1/2 cups All purpose flour (if you only have all purpose then it will be 6 1/2 cups all purpose)
Directions
- Bring your water to 110 degrees and add your yeast and a pinch of sugar (it helps to feed the yeast). I do this in my Kitchen Aid.
- Add your flour and salt and mix until blended. Your dough will be very wet, place your dough into your container and let it sit at room temperature until your dough collapses (about 2 hours). If you do not have a container, use a large bowl, just make sure to cover it in plastic wrap and puncture a small hole in the top to allow the gases to escape.
- When you are ready to bake your dough, prepare your baking pan with parchment paper and cornmeal if you like that look. Dust your hands with flour, tear off a handful of the dough and shape it, using a knife or razor, cut slits on the top of your bread. I would preheat the oven to 450 degrees at this point.
- Let your bread loaf rise for about 30 minutes, it may not look like it's risen much but no worries as the oven will do it's magic when it bakes.
- To obtain a crusty exterior, place an empty baking pan on your bottom rack and when you place your bread into the oven, place some water in the empty baking pan to create steam...close your oven door quickly as you don't want to lose that steam.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it's a nice golden color. If you can, allow your bread to cool off prior to cutting into it....now it's time to slather butter and sugar on top!
