Sunday, May 06, 2007

Bread



This is the fourth time I've made this recipe. The bread is outstanding: strong flavors, medium tight moist crumb, chewy crust. And dead simple to make.


It's based on Jim Lahey's recipe, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery on West 47th Street in Manhattan, as posted by Mark Bittman in the NY Times. I converted it to whole wheat.

Whole Wheat No Knead Bread

In a large bowl combine:
16 oz. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. yeast
2 tsp. salt
Stir in:
12 oz. cold filtered water

until just blended. Dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rest 18 to 24 hours at room temperature. Turn out onto lightly floured counter, stretching dough to form a large square. Dust top with flour. Fold dough four times. Let rest 15 minutes, covered. Form dough into ball. Place on floured towel, seam-side down. Let rise 2 to 3 hours. Place 3 to 4 quart heavy covered pot in oven to preheat to 500F, 30 minutes. Dump dough into pot, seam-side up. Shake pot to evenly distribute. Lower temperature to 450F. Bake 30 minutes with cover on. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes more, until crust is browned. Remove baked loaf from pan, cool on rack before cutting.

2 comments:

barefootmeg said...

you're such a rock star in the kitchen! (and your bread looks lovely, too.) ;-)

Wes Craig said...

It would blush, were it not all eaten up. On the positive tip, the next loaf is already fermenting :)