No-Knead Crusty Bread

By ErinLayton

This bread is so easy that I was very skeptical that it would work. It turned out absolutely beautiful and yummy! We broke off chunks to dip in our soup! It DOES take about 20 hours or so to make, so you need to plan ahead!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 5/8 cups water
• Cornmeal or wheat bran (optional)

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended. Dough will be sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, at least 70 degrees.
2. After dough rests, its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton (not terry cloth) towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be at least double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Gently slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into a 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) seam side up. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove the lid to see if it is done (golden brown). If not, remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack