no knead bread

Easter Monday is kind of a weird day. Is it a holiday? I'm pretty sure it is in Canada, many shops and businesses are open but banks, libraries and most offices are closed. I'm feeling a bit torn. I have work to do but I also want to raid the half-off Easter chocolate displays at the local drug store for candy. I'm feeling the pull since we didn't really do anything particularly Easter-ish this weekend and discount candy should count for some kind of celebration, right?

Maybe I should also feel a bit triumphant because this weekend I did make no-knead bread for the first time. It was amazing. Amazing! Look at it. It's beautiful, it's got the perfect crust and the insides were wonderfully soft and tender. It was perfect...but it also was an exercise in patience. There's not a lot of work involved, but there is a lot of waiting and waiting isn't one of my strong suits. But as long as you love your kitchen timer (I use the one on our microwave) and you've got yourself a cast iron pot/dutch oven, make friends with this bread. It is delicious and simple.

no-knead bread
3 c all-purpose + more
1/2 t instant yeast
1 1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c water
cornmeal

Mix flour, yeast and salt together and blend well. Slowly add water, stirring until dough forms. The dough should be "shaggy" and not to sticky...if it's too wet, add in some more flour. Oil up a large bowl, dump in dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 15 hrs.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface, folding it gently and let it rest for 15 minutes. Form it into a ball and let it rest for 2 hrs, covered with a clean tea towel. At the 1.5 hr mark, turn on oven to 450F and put cast iron pot inside with lid on top to heat up for 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven carefully (it's hottt) and add in some cornmeal to dust the bottom. Remove the towel from the dough ball and give it a poke...if the indent takes and closes up slow, the dough is ready. Place dough gently into pot and cover with the lid. Bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove lid and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before you slaughter the poor thing. Eat with cold butter and a drizzle of honey.