suemunzlinger's Recipe

NO-KNEAD OVERNIGHT ARTISAN BREAD

Category: Breads and quick breads

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached, unenriched and unbromated if possible)
2 tsp salt (non iodine)
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups room temperature water

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add water and mix well. The dough will be hard to stir and shaggy, not smooth like traditional bread dough.
Cover with a towel and let rise overnight, 8-18 hours. The dough will bubble and rise.

When you're ready to make bread, flour your hands and your working surface and turn the dough out. Without kneading the dough, gently form it into a ball. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for one hour.**

After the dough has risen for 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 450F and put your Dutch oven or oven-safe pot (that has a lid) inside to preheat. Do not put the lid in the oven. Preheat for 30 minutes.
When the dough has rested for an hour, and the pot has preheated, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully lift the dough from the surface and place into the pot. If your pot is stainless steel and not lined, you can line it with parchment paper first.
Replace the lid and place the pot back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the top is golden-medium brown.
Allow to cool completely (at least 30 minutes in a spot where air can flow freely above and below).
NOTES
** To turn this recipe into individual bread bowl, divide the dough into two balls before allowing it to rest for 1 hour.
Use two smaller oven-safe pots (with lids) and proceed with the remaining directions as written.
To cut the tops out, cut like you would the top out of a pumpkin: angle a sharp, serrated knife both down and in towards the center of the loaf. Take care not to cut too far down, otherwise you'll poke a hole through to the bottom. Cut out the top and either serve, reserve for homemade croutons or breadcrumbs.