A crusty yeast-raised bread requires time and planning, but not necessarily more work, as Jim Lahey’s recipe proves. Long, slow rising (fermentation) is the secret to this flavorful loaf of country-style bread.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 10-inch round loaf
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the water, and mix by hand or with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until you have a wet, sticky dough. If it is not very sticky to the touch, mix in 1 or 2 more tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 12 to 18 hours at room temperature (approximately 72°F), until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has more than doubled in size.
Step 2
When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough onto the surface in one piece. As the dough pulls away from the bowl, it will cling in long, thin strands (this is the developed gluten), and it will be quite loose and sticky; do not add more flour. Use lightly floured hands, a bowl scraper, or a spatula to lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.
Step 3
Generously coat a clean smooth cotton dish towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal. Gently lift the dough and place it seam side down onto the towel, and lightly dust the dough with flour. Fold the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it, and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled, and when you gently poke it with your finger, it holds the impression. If it doesn’t, let rise for another 15 minutes.
Step 4
Thirty minutes before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and place the covered pot in the center of the rack. Carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the dish towel, lightly dust the dough with flour, and quickly but gently invert it into the pot, seam side up. Use caution, the pot will be very hot. Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 5
Remove the lid, and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes more, until the bread is a deep chestnut color. Use a spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot, and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly, for 1 hour or more.
