I love when my house smells like bread. It makes me feel like I am doing something right. This bread is amazingly delicious and has that sweet of aroma of a bakers kitchen! And yes, it’s true, you don’t have to knead it. But let’s get down to the truth of the matter. This bread takes some serious planning to make. Is it worth it? I declare YES! Because there is no kneading there is almost no work. Just simply babysitting and prepping the dough. And then you get this beautiful, crusty, warm and soft inside, fluffy bread!

No Need to Knead Bread

• 1 2/3 cups luke warm water
• 3 cups all purpose flour, + some for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cornmeal

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 2/3 cups water, and stir until blended. Dough will be very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 12-18 hours, in a warm room (about 70 degrees).

Dough is ready when the surface is dotted with small bubbles. Lightly flour a surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle with a little more flour and fold dough over on itself two times. Then cover dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.

Using enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour and put the dough seam down on the towel. Then sprinkle cornmeal on the top of the dough and cover with another cotton towel and let rise for 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least half an hour before dough is ready, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex, or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from the oven. SLide your hand under the cotton towel and turn the dough over into the pot. It may look messy, but this is ok. Shake the pan once or twice to even out and then the rest will take care of itself during the baking. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove lid and bake an additional 12-18 minutes, or until loaf is browned. Cool on a rack.

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