Low Knead Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
• Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.
• At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
• Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• Pour 500ml warm water into a large bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir to distribute the yeast, then add the flour, rosemary leaves and sea salt. Once everything is well mixed and you have a very, very soft dough (don't worry if it's sticky, you won't be kneading it), cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise overnight, or for 8-12 hrs.
• Once the dough has risen, brush the inside of another large bowl with the olive oil and dust with 1-2 tbsp flour. Carefully tip the bread, which will be very soft and bubbly, into the floured bowl and dust the top with more flour. Cover again with cling film and leave to prove for 1 hr.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place a large casserole dish, small roasting tin or cake tin in the oven to heat up. When it's really hot, take it out of the oven, line it with a square of baking parchment or a silicone liner and quickly tip in the dough. Sprinkle with a little more flour and bake for 45 mins-1 hr or until the bread is risen, golden and, if you tap the crust with your knuckles, it sounds hollow.
• Turn the bread out onto a wire rack and leave to cool for 10-15 mins before slicing. Delicious served warm with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt flakes.

Steps:

• Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the water and herbs, if using, and mix well. The dough will be very sticky and shaggy-looking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours.
• Generously flour a work surface. The dough will have risen and will be covered in bubbles. Transfer the dough to the work surface and dust it with flour. Fold the dough in half, and then form the dough into a ball by stretching and tucking the edges of the dough underneath the ball.
• Liberally flour a kitchen towel (do not use terrycloth). Place the dough ball on the floured towel. Cover with another floured towel. Let the dough rise for about two hours [see footnote].
• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place a lidded Dutch oven or deep heavy duty casserole dish (with lid) into the oven to preheat.
• Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven. Remove the lid and gently turn the dough ball into the ungreased baking dish, seam-side up; shake the dish so the dough is more evenly distributed.
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until the crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the loaf from the baking dish and let it cool on a rack before slicing.