hello there.
I hesitate to say it --or type it-- but I think I have made it through the roughest part of this nasty cold/flu situation. I'm certainly not trying to have a pity party here, but the last few days have completely sucked, as in, please let this be over soon, sucked. it was the kind of sickness that played games with me. for instance, when I thought I might be feeling better and would do something simple like shuffle across the apartment to make some tea or look in the refrigerator for the thousandth time, I would be sent right back to bed feeling awful. feeling defeated. so despite the fact that I am much better right now, I still don't trust it. this sickness is cruel, it could be toying with me.
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okay, now that I've babbled on about being ill, how about that bread recipe some of you asked for. once again, I recommend it highly. it's super easy and the bread turns out great. if anything, it's worth the excitement you will feel when you take the lid off to discover real bread. bread you can actually eat. all you need, in addition to the ingredients, is patience, because it takes something like 22 hours. it's worth it though, I promise.
No-Knead Bread
Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery (via the Times)
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
- ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- cornmeal as needed *I skipped this and just used flour*
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.
