Overnight Artisan Bread

Don't you just love chewy, dense, artisan bread?  You know the kind you buy at a good bakery?  Sometimes you can even find a decent loaf at your regular grocery store.  What if I told you, that I can teach you to make bread like this at home?  It's true.  Thanks to my friend j'Nae, who taught me this recipe (along with a bunch of others), I can now share it with you. You're aren't going to believe how easy it is and oh, how you're going to thank me every time you pull a loaf from the oven.  I know, because I go through this little gratitude ritual myself.  Good bread is a gift.

The easy part of the recipe is that you mix it up and pretty much forget about it, for about 12- 18 hours.  The hard part is to remember to start it a day before you want to eat it.  You have to plan ahead with this recipe, or make up a few loaves and have them stashed in the freezer to pull out at a moments notice.   

I start my dough late in the afternoon or right after dinner.  I mix up the flour, yeast, salt, and dried herbs (whatever blend you like) in a plastic bowl.  j'Nae said the Rubbermaid Take Alongs are the perfect size, so that's what I use.  Into the dry ingredients, you stir water and red wine vinegar.  Mix and put on the lid.  I leave it sitting on my kitchen counter over night and depending on the temperature in my kitchen, the next morning or by lunch, the dough is ready for the next step.

It should be bubbly and look like this when you take off the lid.  Oh, and it's going to smell really good, especially if you have a little garlic in that herb blend.  My favorite is a Mediterranean Blend.   But you could use olives and cheese, or nuts and seeds, or dried cranberries and cinnamon if you are thinking sweet bread.  Whatever you like to buy in the store, you can create yourself at home.

After the 12- 18 hour rest in the bowl, I turn the dough (which is quite moist) onto a floured surface and adding a little flour, knead about 8 to 10 times, until it's soft and workable.

Now you put this dough back into a greased plastic bowl (buy two) and cover to rise.  Let it rise for about 1 1/2 hour.  

At this point, take a cast iron dutch oven and heat it in the oven at 435- 450 for thirty minutes.  You want the pan to be screaming hot when you take it out.  And be really careful!  Use double pot holders.

When the dough has risen for two hours and the pot is hot, turn the dough over into the pot.  I spray mine first with cooking spray.

Put the lid on and bake for 27 minutes.  This is the secret to that chewy crust and soft interior.  That hot, covered pan creates the perfect steamy environment for this bread to bake.   Uncover the pan and continue to bake until browned (another 6-10 minutes).  Cool on rack before slicing.  Or wait as long as you possibly can. 

You're going to be so impressed with yourself when you taste this bread.  It's absolutely delicious!  And think how easy it is. Mix it up in a plastic bowl, let it sit and do it's magic, knead it a few times and then let it rise some more.  Put it into a heavy duty pot and bake.  This is the simplest bread I make.   It's perfect with soup.   The next couple of posts will be two of my favorite potato soup recipes.  Practice making the bread now, so you'll be ready. 

Rustic Overnight Artisan Bread

3 cups plain flour

3/4 t. instant yeast

1 1/2 t. salt

Mix above ingredients, adding any spices/nuts or condiments that you like to the dough. 

 Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 t. red wine vinegar.  Stir well.

Cover bowl and let rest 12-18 hours.  When surface is 

dotted with bubbles, dough is ready.  After the rest, place dough

on well floured work surface and gently knead for 7- 10 kneads.  Spray a second large bowl with nonstick spray.  Transfer dough to oiled bowl.  Cover and let rise until it has doubled in size and does not readily spring back with poked with your finger.  After dough

has been rising for about 1 1/2 hours, preheat the dutch oven for 30 minutes at 435- 450 degrees.  Carefully remove pot from the oven and turn dough into pot.  Cover and bake 27 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking until browned to your liking.  Cool on wire rack.