There’s something about bread that will always be magical to me. Taking just a few ingredients, letting some yeast do its thing, and then baking it to create something so delicious, so flavorful, so beautiful, so perfectly fragrant and homey – it’s magic, I swear.
Baking bread and its associated fragrance that wafts through my little kitchen will always remind me of the smell of home. Growing up my mom seemed to always be baking bread. I fondly remember moments when she’d let us know that the bread was done, still warm, and offer us a thick slab, topped with rich melted butter, the crust crackly and the inside tender and tasty. Is there anything better?
Why yes – there just might be…and it’s called homemade bread for really busy people. Well, maybe it’s not quite called that – this title, Easy Rustic Dutch Oven No-Knead Crusty Bread – might be more apt. But it’s SO ridiculously easy and quick I sometimes can’t get over my excitement when I put it all together and then reap its amazing rewards, without really having to put forth much effort. That’s just beyond great for someone who doesn’t particularly have a lot of extra time on their hands. (Don’t tell your friends about that, though.)
Part of the magic is that it takes just a few minutes to get all the ingredients together. (I like to do this late at night since I will forever be a night owl.) Then just wait overnight while all the yeast hang out, have a happy little party, and lift that dough up. (Try not to let it sit TOO long though, as the dough will deflate a little and not be quite as easy to work with.)
Wake up in the morning, get your dutch oven prepped and piping hot (I use my Le Creuset, which I consider one of THE best investments I’ve made in my kitchen gear – plus it’s so pretty!), toss the bread inside and bake! It’s really that incredible and that easy.
I prefer to place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper that I then transfer to the dutch oven and bake everything inside. The parchment will get little brown and brittle, but it’s so nice to not get your dutch oven overly dirty if you don’t have to. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t try to adjust the dough after you place it on the parchment or you might inadvertently incorporate the parchment into the dough, which just isn’t fun to deal with after everything’s baked. Just let the dough be once it’s on the parchment and you’ll be ok.
At this point let the bread bake in that hot, hot oven. Be prepared for the inevitable rumbling of your stomach as you inhale the glorious aroma.
Remove the lid after having baked a while (squeal a little bit at this magic you’re seeing), and allow the bread to finish baking and get nice and golden brown for another 15 minutes.
Remove the entire dutch oven from the oven, remove your beautiful bread, place on a rack, and admire your creation. Also, listen as the crust crackles – it’s a pretty cool sound.
And, if you’re like me, dive into that warm bread, cut yourself a slab, be liberal with the butter, and be sure to share this awesomeness with others. (This makes a great gift, wrapped in a pretty tea towel, and delivered piping hot.) You can also add some extra ingredients for a little additional flavor, too – think cranberries and orange zest, cheeses and herbs, etc. Have fun experimenting!
Recipe originally from Simply So Good
- 3 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
- 1½ cups water
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and yeast. Add water to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until a shaggy mixture forms and any dry flour streaks no longer show.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or with a reusable silicone cover
and set aside for 12 to 18 hours at room temperature. Overnight on a countertop is perfect.
- When ready to bake, heat your oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid
in the oven and heat the pot and lid for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the dough onto a heavily floured surface and gently shape into a ball by tucking in edges of the dough under and towards the center of the ball. You can either do this with your fingers or a spatula.
- Transfer the dough to some parchment paper. Do not adjust the dough on the parchment after placing it. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.
- Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough and parchment. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
