Simple "Almost No-Knead Bread," Updated.

The large loaf has 4 cups of flour, the other one had 3
and the same recipe, only smaller portions.

I love to bake bread. Maybe because in my biological studies the process of fermentation fascinated me. How tiny organisms, a fungus, yeast, can turn sugar (glucose) into CO2 and alcohol (C2H5OH - ethanol), and feed with world is an incredible feat. The CO2 bubbling through the dough gives it that sponginess, and that sweet odor - it's the trace amounts of alcohol being released. The same reaction is responsible for beers and wines,(different species of yeast - no flour please).

This recipe is an update on one that went viral, thanks to Mark Bittman of the New York Times Food Section, some years ago (the main difference - the Hot Water).  Here's a link to that Youtube.

Ingredients:

4 C        flour (any kind)
1/2         tsp yeast
1 1/2      tsp salt
1 1/2 C  Very Hot Water (not to exceed 130 degrees F)

Method:

Flour in a bowl, add yeast and salt, stir, then the water.

Stir until you get a "shaggy" ball. No kneading - stir with a large spoon (mine's made of wood).

Cover bowl with Saran and let sit at least 3 hours on the counter (you can go 4, 5, 6 or more if you want).

Remove the dough ball and place onto a floured surface. With a few moves (I use a scraper like those for picking up chopped veggies) flop the ball around to make another ball - no need to knead.

Spread some parchment paper over a skillet or bowl, drop the dough on the parchment and let it sit aside until you get you oven ready. About 30 mins.

Dutch ovens create high humidity (steam) inside that makes the bread bake perfectly. Others can be used, just need to make sure whatever you use has a lid with no plastic for the baking oven.

Put the Dutch oven inside the baking oven: pre-heat to 450 degree F.  (The loaf you see above I baked on my Traeger at 450 - ish.)

Carefully drop the dough, parchment paper included, into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, slather some olive oil across the top, sprinkle it with with a bit of flour, some fresh chopped rosemary and sea salt (or whatever else you might like to sprinkle there - cheese(s), chopped olives, etc.).and put in the oven at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes.

At 30 minutes remove the lid.  The temperature of the bread should be about 195 - 210 degrees F, and the crust nicely browned. If you want more brown, and I always do, leave it in the oven, without the lid, for 10 - 15 minutes.

Remove, let cool, slice and enjoy.  Keeps, tightly covered for about 3 days.