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Serve fresh-from-the-oven bread in a matter of hours with this Easy No-Knead, Whole-Grain Bread recipe.
Makes One 1-1/2 pound loaf SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast
- 1-1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- More flour, as needed
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 2 cups cool water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at warm room temperature at least 12 hours, preferably about 18 hours.
- When dough surface is dotted with bubbles, turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the top and fold dough on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.
- Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour. Put dough seam side down on towel and dust with a little more flour. Cover with another 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 30 minutes 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. Remove top towel, slide your hand under bottom towel, and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. It will probably look like a mess, but it will straighten out as it bakes. Give the pan a good shake to distribute dough evenly. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is well browned. Cool on a rack for at least an hour before slicing.Find more recipes and tips for successful meal planning in Cook Once, Eat All Week.
No-knead bread is the easiest loaf of bread you’ll ever bake, requiring only about 15 minutes of hands-on time. This recipe is a whole-grain variation of Jim Lahey’s famous recipe printed by the New York Times in 2006. Makes One 1-1/2 pound loaf.
