If I'm going to eat bread, I want it to be delicious, crusty, healthy and to have only 3 ingredients (flour, salt, raising agent). Which usually means a trip to the markets for some artisan bread for about $12 a loaf. This can be a bit pricey.
This loaf I've made is a recipe from Recipe Tin Eats. And it's pretty foolproof. This recipe is ridiculously simple and so satisfying to make. There is no requirement to knead or touch the dough. How good is that!.
I do believe the secret to how gorgeous it turns out is cooking it in a Dutch Oven. Cooking bread in a Dutch oven yields excellent results due to its ability to retain moisture and distribute heat evenly. The tight-fitting lid traps steam, allowing the dough to expand fully for a light, airy crumb and a crispy crust. The cast iron construction provides even heat distribution and retains high initial heat, promoting good rise and crust development.
Good quality bread will be heavy, quite dense with large holes.
Ingredients:
(This recipe will make one loaf or 4 - 5 very generous flat breads)
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1.5 cups luke warm water
2 teaspoons or 1 sachet of instant yeast
2 teaspoons of sea salt
pinch of sugar
That's it! No fancy equipment, no endless kneading – just pure, homemade goodness.
Instructions:
Mix the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir them together until well mixed.
Add Water: Slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything until it forms a soft dough.
Let It Rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for anywhere between 2 to 8 hours. The longer you leave it, the more the "bread" flavour will develop.
Shape the Dough: After the resting period, grab your wooden spoon again and give it another few folds until the dough has deflated.
Preheat the Oven: Place a Dutch oven (or any oven-safe pot with a lid) into your oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C). Let the pot heat up for about 30 minutes.
Bake the Bread: Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven. Place a piece of parchment paper into the pot and gently transfer your dough onto the paper. Cover with the lid and bake for 35 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Cool and Enjoy: Remove the bread from the pot and let it cool on a wire rack. Slicing into the warm, crusty loaf too soon can make it gummy, so let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
If you want to make flat bread:
After the resting period, grab a pan, place on a burner, line with either oil or baking paper, simply grab about a 1/2 cup of dough and spread out on the pan, cook for about 5 mins on either side. The flat bread turns out a little like Turkish bread.
Why You'll Love This Bread:
No Kneading:
Minimal Ingredients: Just three pantry staples create a beautiful, artisan-style loaf.
Flavorful and Satisfying: The long fermentation process gives the bread a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I’d love to hear about your baking adventures!
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