Very Simple No Knead Artisan Bread

DESCRIPTION

Simple artisan bread that requires no kneading. 

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt.

Add water, and stir until blended; dough will be sticky, and quite loose.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Let dough rest for at least 12 hours, or longer, at room temperature.

The dough should have lots of bubbles and be much looser (wet) than it was before. 

Place some baking paper / parchment / greaseproof paper on a work surface and generously sprinkle with flour

Gently encourage the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface.

Sprinkle it with a little more flour over the dough.

Using the paper, very gently fold the dough over on itself once or twice.

Return to the bowl, cover and leave to rest again for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.

While dough is resting, preheat your oven to hot - around 450 degrees / 230 C / Gas 9.

Put a large lidded pot, such as a roaster or dutch oven, in the oven as it heats.

When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven.

Pick up parchment paper with dough and place the whole thing directly into the pot. 

Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes

Check you loaf, turn the dish around and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Adjust  cooking time until loaf is golden and browned.

When pot is cooled a little, turn out the loaf onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

You can add different ingrediento the mix if you wish. Try seeds, nuts, herbs, fruits, etc.

I like to add a mix of seeds and nuts - sunflower seeds, linseeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, flaked almonds, crumbled pecan nuts or walnuts, rosemary, dandelion, nettle, (and other green herbs), and dried organic citrus peel.

Feel free to experiment.

Just add your ingredients in at the beginning.