Jason’s No Knead Bread
- 4.5 cups (1.5 pounds) bread flour, preferably organic, plus 3 tablespoons for kneading and for sprinkling on the loaves
- 2.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 envelope (2.25 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 2 cups cool water (approximately 70 degrees)
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina flour (for dusting)
- Whisk together the flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and stir until combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to sit at room temperature for 19 hours.
- After 19 hours, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Punch down the dough and turn it over onto itself a couple of times.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl. Cover tightly with a lid or cling film and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (about 70 degrees) for about 2-3 hours, until doubled in bulk.
- Break down the dough by bringing the outer edges into the center and pressing down to release the air inside. Lift the dough from the bowl with one hand and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the remaining flour into the bowl with the other. Return the dough to the bowl and knead it until the flour is incorporated and the dough is elastic, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball, stretching and pinching it together underneath so it is nicely rounded and taut on top.
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat and sprinkle the cornmeal on top. Place the dough seam side down on the sheet and cover it with the overturned bowl or bucket.
- (Let rise for 2 hours, or until doubled. Alternatively, let it rise, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.)- You can skip this step if you’re happy with the size.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Cut several slits across the top of the loaf with a serrated knife. Place the loaf in the oven. Using a spray bottle filled with tap water, mist the interior of the oven a few times to create steam, then quickly close the door. After 5 minutes, mist again. Bake the loaf for 15 minutes longer, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake for 1 hour longer, or until brown.
- Cool the bread on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Thank you Jason Lim!
