Bread Two Ways

As I wrote previously, I've been longing for some crusty bread. So while I'm waiting for my sourdough starter to develop (it's coming along, see the bubbles forming...)



I decided to try a recipe that has been kicking around my recipe file for quite some time: No-Knead Bread. This recipe was adapted from the Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC, a really wonderful bakery, and created quite a stir when published in the Minimalist column in the New York Times a few years ago. The secret to the bread is time and moisture. Supposedly these two factors stand in for kneading, allowing the gluten molecules to form the same way they do when you knead dough. So while this recipe does use yeast, it uses a very small amount (1/4 tsp, compared to the tbsp. present in many yeasted bread recipes). I've mixed the dough and after about 12 hrs of rest, it should be ready to form into loaves. The trick to getting a nice firm, crispy crust is cooking the bread in a covered pot. This creates the steamy environment present in most professional bread ovens without having to spray water into the oven at regular intervals, place ice cubes on the oven floor, or any other number of tricks I have tried previously with minimal success and lots of effort. So, the dough is resting on the kitchen counter, I'll keep you updated on how it turns out...