We try to limit our bread consumption in the
Just One Donna house but haven't eliminated it entirely. When we do eat bread, we want it to be good bread. Occasionally, I like a hearty bread, with a crunchy crust that tastes yummy with a herb-infused dipping oil. That's when No Knead Bread is my choice.
Make No-Knead Bread with My Yummy Dipping Oil
No-Knead Bread became all the rage several years ago. In case there are still some out there who are unaware of no-knead bread, Mark Bittman and Jim Leahy introduced the world to this no-knead technique in 2006.
Start the night before you want to bake the bread by mixing together three cups of bread flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of rapid-rising yeast with 1 1/2 cups of water. Just use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture into a dough.
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| The Dough Mixes Simply |
It really is easy. All it takes is a couple of turns
of the wooden spoon to pull the mixture into a dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside on the counter. Time for bed...
Fourteen hours later you'll find the dough has risen and is bubbly.
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| The Dough is Full of Air Bubbles |
At this point, you are ready to turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. You'll find the dough to be very loose due to the amount of water used in the recipe. That is how it is supposed to be. Just fold one end of the dough over the other a couple of times, place plastic wrap over it and let it sit on the counter for fifteen minutes.
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| Let the Dough Rest |
After fifteen minutes, flour your hands and shape the dough into a round and place it seam side down onto a well-floured cotton, non-terry, dish towel. Dust the top with more flour and cover with another cotton towel. Let the dough rise for two more hours.
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| The Final Rise |
About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the bread, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and set a heavy covered pot into it to get blazing hot. I use my enameled cast iron Dutch oven, but the recipe says you can use a Pyrex baking dish with a cover as well.
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| A Dutch Oven is the Perfect Baking Vessel |
When ready to bake the bread, carefully remove that blazing, hot pot from the oven and plop the dough into it, by rolling it off the cotton towel.
Shake the pot a bit to distribute the dough, but don't fret over it. This is a rustic loaf that will form to the shape of the pot as it cooks. Cover the pot and return it to the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the cover and cook for 15-20 minutes more, until well browned. Remove the bread from the pan to cool on a rack.
This bread has a crunchy crust and a lovely rustic texture that is soft and full of yummy holes. It makes wonderful nooks and crannies, perfect for dipping into your favorite seasoned dipping oil.
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| Yummy Texture |
I love to serve an herb-infused dipping oil with this no knead bread. Prepare your oil mixture while the bread is baking.
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| Make a Yummy Dipping Oil |
Yummy Olive Oil Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
- pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
Gently heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over low heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic, crushed red pepper, and rosemary. Cook together for one to two minutes, until the aroma of the garlic and rosemary fills the air. You do not want the garlic to brown. Remove the oil mixture from the heat to cool. This will give the garlic and rosemary time to infuse the oil with yummy flavor.
Once cool, taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. Pour onto a shallow plate. Grate a little Parmesan cheese over the oil mixture.
So friends, bake a loaf of this rustic No-Knead Bread and make a delicious dipping sauce for dipping. You'll be glad you did.
Essential Resource ListDutch Oven
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