No Knead Peasant Bread

Peasant Bread

Been seeing this recipe kicking around on Buzzfeed and some other cooking blogs, people do seem to swear by their simple no knead bread recipes, so thought I would also give one a try.

Original Recipe:

http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/

Followed the recipe to the letter, except I only made a half loaf this time because I am a little short on flour at the moment.

Ingredients: (Small 6 inch loaf)

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 1 Cup Warm Water
• Butter

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the sugar into the warm water and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Allow the yeast to proof for 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly, if the yeast doesn't foam then it is dead, try again or else you wont get any rise in the bread.
2. Sift together the flour and the salt, once the yeast has proofed add the flour to the yeast and stir with a fork until the dough pulls into a small ball and away from the edges of the bowl. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and allow to rise for about 1 hour.
3. After one hour, preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Stab the center of the dough ball with a fork, and then turn and lift all around the dough, trying to basically turn it over on itself. 
5. Butter a six inch round bake-able bowl or casserole dish, or line a pizza stone with parchment paper to make a real peasant loaf. Peasant didn't have spare bowls or baking dishes so bread was baked on flat stones or in a wood oven. Baking the bread on a pizza stone makes it very similar to the bread I had when I went to visit a "Living" Historical fort back in Cape Breaton. 
6. Turn the risen dough into the baking dish or transfer it onto the pizza stone. Cover with the damp tea towel and allow to rise another 20-30 minutes.
7. Bake the twice risen dough in preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375°F. Continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, until top of dough is golden-toasted and the dough sounds hollow when tapped.
8. Turn the bread out onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
9. Serve warm with butter for best results.

Enjoy!

Notes:

Made this last night for dinner with my friends and they literally ate the entire loaf in one sitting. I would say that makes this a keeper.

Other Places:

Other bread recipes:

White Bread

Grandma's Bread