After studying breadmaking in Italy in the 1990s, Jim Lahey came up with the original technology for No-Knead Bread. Jim learned to bake bread in Italy in the 1990s, but he didn’t create the No-Knead process until much later. In 2006, Mark Bittman of The New York Times was invited to Lahey’s Sullivan Street Bakery to witness the ease with which bread could be made. What happened after that is ancient history.
It was during the summer of 2011 when I first became aware of this tale. I purchased a loaf of Mark Bittman’s No-Knead Bread from the farmer’s market in my area. Crispy artisan bread with a crunchy interior is one of my favorite things ever. The name Mark Bittmans piqued my curiosity. I bought a loaf to try at home and immediately became obsessed with it. The recipe was easy to find once I started looking for it online. Later on, I learned that Jim Lahey was the source of the recipe.
A Comparison of Recipes
Mark Bittman’s recipe is slightly different from Lahey’s. Having tried both methods, I can tell that Bittman’s recipe works better in my own oven. Bittman uses a little more water and an oven set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit than Lahey does. To avoid having the skin get black, I set the oven to 450 degrees. What to do about water is a personal decision. Adding just two teaspoons extra water significantly expands the perforated interior. The internal grain of bread improves when less water is used. You may easily alter the temperature and baking time to achieve a firm loaf of bread.
What I learned from making no-knead bread
I’ve been baking bread Mark Bittman’s way for well over a year. In the weeks where I had company over three times a week, I would make the effort. Then, curious, I visited the library. In my quest to learn more about bread, I selected up “My Bread” by Jim Lahey. Lahey made a few tweaks to the original recipe’s seasonings. All the loaves I baked from this recipe were delicious successes. One had a lovely topping of walnuts and raisins. “Jim’s Brown Bread” is a beer-infused twist on traditional Irish soda bread. A half pound of diced cheese is used in the dough in a different recipe. Slices of cooked bacon were also included. There wasn’t a bad dish among them. The whole grain bread is so good that it could practically stand alone as a meal.
I hope that everyone who hasn’t already will try out this new fad. The only stipulation is that the pan is extremely durable and can endure temperatures in the oven between 450 and 500 degrees. Pans with lids might be enameled cast iron, clay, or even Pyrex glass. The ideal size of the pan for filling when baking bread is between 6 and 8 quarts.
Because the dough is so moist, it must be cooked in a pan that can be covered to keep the steam out. Any home baker who has ever attempted to make a fake crust has lamented their inability to keep enough steam. The steam necessary for a flaky crust forms in the pan while the dough is heated and confined. It’s like the bread is singing when you take it out of the oven. While cooling, the bread creates a variety of charming sounds, including ticking, squeaking, and hissing.
While the entire procedure takes 16–18 hours, just about 15 minutes of your time will be needed throughout. The night before, combine the four components, cover, and let them sit in the fridge. After 15 minutes of rest in the morning, flip them over. After 1 1/2 hours of rising time, bake the dough for 30 minutes at 350 degrees in the empty pan. Take the baking dish out of the oven and add the dough once it has risen; return the cover and bake for 30 minutes. Many other chores around the house can be accomplished in this time. Don’t be afraid to try this recipe out since it won’t let you down.
