Basic No-Knead Bread

Basic No-Knead Bread

From Ann Byrne

6 cups bread or all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

½ teaspoon active-dry yeast

2 ½ teaspoons salt

2 2/3 cups cool water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt.  Add the water and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.  The dough should be wet and sticky.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rest 12-18 hours on the counter at room temperature.  When surface of the risen dough has darkened slighty, smells yeasty, and is dotted with bubbles, it is ready.

Lightly flour your hands and a work surface.  Place dough on work surface and sprinkle with more flour.  Fold the dough over on itself once or twice and, using floured fingers, tuck the dough underneath to form a rough ball.

Generously dust a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with enough flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the towel as it rises.  Place dough seam side down on the towel and dust with more flour.  Cover with the edges or a second cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

After about 1 ½ hour, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot, such as a cast iron Dutch oven, in the oven as it heats.  When the dough has fully risen, carefully remove the pot from the oven.  Remove the top towel from the dough and slide your hand under the bottom towel; flip the dough over into the pot, seam side up.  Shake pan once or twice if dough looks unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 4-5 more minutes or until the crust is a deep chestnut brown.