Easiest way to bake bread.
Mix all ingredients together and leave overnight.
No rolling pin, no kneading, no special equipment. Mix the ingredients in five minutes, leave the dough overnight and bake the next day. The long rest does the work: the gluten structure develops all by itself. The result is a loaf with a crisp crust and an airy crumb, just like from a bakery.
The secret behind the crisp crust is baking in a hot cast iron pot with a lid. It creates steam that makes the crust crispy, just like in a proper baker’s oven. So you will need a cast iron pot with a lid for this recipe.
Tips and variations
- Use a cast iron pot with a lid for the best results. The lid creates steam that gives the bread a crispy crust. Another heavy-based pot with an ovenproof lid also works.
- Preheat the pot in the oven (250°C) for at least 30 minutes, the hot pot is the secret behind the crisp crust.
- The dough should be sticky and loose. Resist the urge to add more flour.
- Try adding sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chopped olives for extra flavour and texture. Sesame seeds or a little rosemary work well too.
- Use half plain flour and half wholemeal flour for more flavour and fibre.
🍷 Wine pairing
Côtes du Rhône: Rustic bread pairs beautifully with a good red wine. Serve with butter and cheese alongside a Côtes du Rhône or Dolcetto di Alba.
Frequently asked questions
An oven-safe pot with a lid also works but cast iron gives the best results. The key is that the pot can withstand high heat and has a tight-fitting lid. An enamelled pot with a tight lid works just as well. Make sure the handles can take 250°C.
You can bake after 4 to 6 hours, but overnight (8 to 12 hours) gives by far the best flavour. The dough can also sit in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The most common cause is old yeast. Check the best before date, and make sure the water is lukewarm (about 40°C), not too hot or too cold.
It sounds hollow when you tap the bottom and has an internal temperature of 95 to 97 degrees Celsius. The surface should be deep golden brown and crispy.
Yes, replace 30 to 40 percent with whole wheat or rye flour for more flavour and fibre. The bread will still rise well and have the right texture.
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No-knead bread
Bread that makes itself. The easiest way to bake bread.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to a sticky dough.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it somewhere warm on the kitchen counter for 12 to 18 hours.
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Sprinkle flour on a baking paper and pour the dough over, folding the dough a few times towards the middle.
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Cover with a towel and leave the dough to rise for another 2 hours.
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Set the oven to 250 °C.
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When there are 35 minutes of rising time left, place the cast iron pot in the oven.
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Take out the pot and lift the dough into it.
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Put the lid on and let the bread bake for 30 minutes at 250 °C.
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Remove the lid and turn down the heat to 200 °C and bake the bread for approx. 15 minutes.
Notes
Tips: Let the dough rise long and slow, 12 to 18 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. A cast iron pot with a lid is the key to the crisp crust.
Storage: Keeps for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container or bread bag. Freeze sliced once fully cooled.
FAQ: The steam trapped under the lid for the first 20 minutes creates the crisp, golden crust. Remove the lid for the last half hour for extra colour.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 271 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 57 g
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Saturated fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Sodium
- 292 mg
- Potassium
- 133 mg
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.