Easy Peasy Trusty Crusty Bread Recipe (No-Knead)
This is one of the easiest (and most delicious) crunchy bread recipes you’ll ever make. I call it Tuscan Crunchy Bread but if you’ve ever been to Tuscany, you’ll know that bread differs greatly place to place, restaurant to restaurant. It’s almost like it’s their signature… well, this is mine.
Ingredients
3 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour (450 g)
1 3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt (10 g) – note I use David’s coarse Kosher Salt and yes, salts do have different weights!
1/2 teaspoon (3g) Instant or Rapid-rise yeast (4g) – you can bloom it if you want but it works fine without
1 1/2 cups cool water (315 g)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast
- Add water and mix until it clumps together into a shaggy mess
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap (seal the edges) and set aside for at least 12 hours. Can go 24 hours if you wish
- Heat oven to 450 degrees (convection bake: 425 degrees)
- Once oven reaches temp, put a cast iron or cast enamel pot with lid on and heat the pot for 30 minutes
- While the pot is heating, put dough on a heavily floured surface
- Mix in whatever you want to add
- Ideas:
- Cheddar with Jalapeno
- Gruyere with caramelized onion
- Parmesan with black pepper (add olive oil)
- Fresh rosemary and flaky salt
- Kalamata olives with orange zest or rosemary
- Sun-dried tomatoes with basil and a touch of balsamic reduction
- Even chocolate chunks with espresso powder!
- Ideas:
- Shape dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and let it set while the pot is heating up
- After 30 minutes, remove the hot pot (BE CAREFUL) and drop the dough into the pot. Cover and return to oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes
- Remove bread and place on a cooling rack
Pro tip: use silicone lined parchment paper and put the entire bread dough on the parchment paper right into the hot pot. It makes it so much easier and the bottom does not burn
