If kneading dough has kept you from baking bread, this is your method. No-knead bread trades elbow grease for time. A long, slow rise does the work that kneading normally does, and the result is a loaf with a crackly crust and an open, chewy inside.
The dough could not be simpler
Stir together flour, a small amount of yeast, salt, and water into a shaggy, sticky mess. That is it. No mixer, no kneading. The wetness of the dough and the long rest let the gluten develop on its own while you do nothing.
Time does the work
- Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for twelve to eighteen hours.
- It is ready when the surface is bubbly and the dough has more than doubled.
- Shape it gently into a round on a floured surface and let it rest while the oven heats.
Bake it in a hot pot
The secret to the crust is a heavy covered pot, like a Dutch oven, preheated until it is blazing hot. The closed lid traps the dough's own steam, which is what gives bakery bread its shine and crackle. Bake covered first, then uncover for the last fifteen minutes to brown. Let it cool completely before slicing, hard as that is, or the inside will be gummy.