No-Knead Bread

 

A while back, I happened upon a recipe for No-Knead Bread. It sounded simple (which is always a plus), required few ingredients or time (another bonus) and it had been a long time since I'd made homemade bread. 

I was skeptical about how well it would turn out, but it was so good!

According to info I could find online, no-knead bread goes back to the invention of flour and fermentation.  The method of baking bread this way uses a long fermentation time (rising of the dough) instead of kneading to form the gluten strands that give bread its texture. 

The method is ancient, although it has experienced a number of resurgences over the years. 

One of the earliest written references to the bread is in The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith published in 1739. 

Older methods involved fermenting the bread for twelve hours and other steps I sure wasn't willing to pursue. 

The recipe I found is easy, and the result is delicious!

I think it should be called Rustic Bread, because I could imagine a tired pioneer wife whipping up a loaf of this for supper. 

Rustic Bread

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (or 1 packet) of instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

DIRECTIONS:
Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in water until the consistency is even. The dough will be very sticky.
Cover the bowl and rest on the counter for three hours.
Place a large Dutch oven (I used a 7-quart) in the oven and preheat it to 450 degrees.
Spray a sheet of parchment paper with non-stick spray (or butter it). Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the parchment with a spatula (I coated mine in non-stick spray) into a ball (or roundish blob). Place parchment paper with dough into the Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove lid, and continue to bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, place bread on rack to cool for about ten minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Note: for added yumminess, I slathered butter over the outside of the bread as soon as I took it out of the oven and it sank into all the crusty crevices.

Heartfelt love stories wrapped in laughter, warmth, and happily-ever-afters.

 USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where hay fever and life lessons were always in season. Today, she blends her rural roots with a love for storytelling, crafting sweet, wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky characters, and realistic heroes paired with strong, inspiring heroines.

When she’s not writing or baking new recipes, you’ll find her cherishing quiet moments at home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband—affectionately known as Captain Cavedweller.

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