Two flavors of No Knead Bread - plain and Portuguese style
The first recipe I'd like to share, is a really easy bread recipe that doesn't require any kneading (and kneading is hard work !!!). In fact none of the bread recipes featured here require kneading.
The end result, is a bread that closely resembles sourdough bread, and has a great taste and texture.
Once you have the equipment and ingredients ready, that's actually the biggest part of the job done right there.
You will knead the following equipment:
An oven proof pottery dish or a steel pot of about 200 millimeters (8 inches) in diameter and 100 millimeters (4 inches) deep, with a well fitting lid, or a regular bread pan which you will cover with aluminium foil. (If you use a steel pot, make sure that the handles are oven proof and will not melt !!)
A mixing bowl large enough to take 4½ cups of ingredients
A plastic bag or a piece of plastic which will fit over the mixing bowl
An elastic band to hold the plastic tightly around the mixing bowl. (I usually use electrical tape, because I have no elastic bands left)
A rubber spatula. (You can use a spoon, but a rubber spatula is much easier)
Some cornmeal (Mazina or similar) to stop things sticking. (If you don't have cornmeal, you can use flower)
And now for the ingredients:
2½ cups of standard white baking or bread flower. (Use 3 cups if you are using a house oven)
¼ teaspoon of dried instant yeast. (Don't use too much otherwise you will end up with thick beer !!)
2 teaspoons of salt.
1¼ cups of water. (1½ cups of water for a house oven)
And this is the method:
Start making this bread in the late afternoon or early evening.
Mix all the dry ingredients well in the mixing bowl.
Add the water and mix thoroughly.
Place the plastic over the bowl and seal around the edge with the rubber band.
Leave the mixture overnight at room temperature. (Don't try and take shortcuts here, the mixture must stand overnight !)
Next morning, grease and dust with cornmeal the container you have chosen to bake in. Next, pour the mixture in and leave to raise for about 2 hours, or until double in size.
After 1½ hours turn the oven on and set it to 230° C (450° F). If you have one of those boat ovens that does not have a temperature gauge, put it on the very highest setting.
After half an hour, cover the container and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid/cover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
That's it, you are now finished except for removing the bread from the oven and turning it out onto a cutting board. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes or so.
Notes:
You can paint a little milk on the top of the bread at the lid removal stage for a darker crust.
You can substitute milk for the water, either in full or diluted.
You can add a tablespoon of cooking oil or margarine to change the texture a little.
You can also experiment with different types of flour. You can use multi-grain, whole-wheat, or bran-flower etc..
You can also add a 4 tablespoons of sliced olives to make an excellent olive bread.
My favorite, is to add 2 tablespoons of olives as described, and 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes cut into smallish pieces, and a level tablespoon of crushed garlic. I have also noticed that the bread lasts longer with garlic added.
If the bread burns on one side, cover your oven's bottom shelf with aluminium foil to spread the heat. I have also been told that placing a floor tile in the oven works well.
Sea the water bread.
Fresh pot bread ready to go...
Also known as "Pot Bread", this bread is easy to make.
One big advantage is that you don't need an oven because you cook it on the stove top which uses much less gas.
Ingredients:
4 cups of white bread flour.
1 level tablespoon of dried yeast.
1 heaped tablespoon of sugar.
1½ cups of sea water. (See Notes: below)
Method:
Put the flower, yeast and sugar into a mixing bowl and mix lightly. Add the water and mix well.
Put the mixture into a well greased thick bottom pot and cover. (I have found that a deep pot about 200 millimeters (8 inches) in diameter works best. A pressure-cooker pot also works well with the pressure valve off or in the open position.
Let stand in a warm place for approximately two hours or until roughly double in size.
Cook on a very low flame for 30 to 40 minutes, gently turn the bread over and cook for another 30 minutes.
Notes:
You can substitute the sea water with 1½ cups of drinking water with 1 heaped teaspoon of salt mixed in.
You can also use 1 cup of drinking water and ½ cup of milk, (fresh or sour) also with 1 heaped teaspoon of salt mixed in.
You can add half a tablespoon of cooking oil or margarine to change the texture a little, after mixing the dough.
You can also experiment with different types of flour. You can use multi-grain, whole-wheat, bran-flower etc. but the cooking times will have to be increased a little.
If the lid of your pot is not a good fit, cover the pot with a piece of aluminium foil first, (shiny side facing the bread), and then put the lid of the pot back on.
You can also add a 4 tablespoons of sliced olives to make a great olive bread. Finely chopped onion also tastes great.
My favorite, is to add 2 tablespoons of olives, and 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes cut into smallish pieces, and a teaspoon of crushed garlic.
(The addition of garlic, even just a little, makes the bread last longer).
Errol's Eezy Bread
Eezy Bread - guaranteed not to flop...
This recipe was 'developed' over many sea miles and 100's of loaves of bread.
Guaranteed to give good results every time and extremely easy to make.
Ingredients:
2½ cups of regular, or bread flower.
1 heaped tablespoon of sugar.
1 level tablespoon of dry yeast.
1 level teaspoon of salt.
1½ cups of luke warm water.
Method.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the water and mix well with a heavy spoon.
Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put in a warm place until the mixture doubles in volume - about 45 minutes.
Stir the mixture down and transfer into a bread pan. Let stand again until double in volume.
Place in pre-heated oven at around 200°C (380°F) for about 45 minutes.
You can use ½ cup sea water and 1 cup fresh water, leaving the teaspoon of salt out.
That's it folks - easy peasy...
Pizza to go...
This recipe, makes a great thin and crispy pizza as well as Focaccia bread.
Ingredients:
¼ cup of lukewarm water.
¼ cup of hot water. (Read the method below and you will understand why)
1 teaspoon of sugar.
1 packet of dry yeast. (How big is a packet you ask... Well, it's one of those little 10 gram packets)
¼ cup of milk.
¾ teaspoon of salt.
3 tablespoons of cooking oil. (Olive, canola or sunflower oil - in that order)
2¼ cups of all purpose flour.
And dis is how wera gonna do it...
Pour the lukewarm water into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast onto the water and let it stand for about 10 minutes, then stir well. Combine the milk and the hot water and stir into the yeast mixture. Add the salt and flour, mixing until thick and sticky.
Lightly dust a working surface with cornmeal or flour and scrape the dough onto the working surface. You need to knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
Wipe the mixing bowl clean and coat the inside with the cooking oil. Place the dough into the mixing bowl and roll it around until all sides are coated with the oil. Cover the bowl and let it stand in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 45 minutes).
Take the mixture out of the bowl and divide it in half. Pat each half down into pizza pans or better still shape into thin disks about 14 inches (350 millimeters) across to be baked on a flat surface. Get lessons to twirl the stuff around your head if you want to impress your friends but either way don't even think of it on a boat - it doesn't work.
Toppings:
First, set your oven to 230° C (450° F) before you start building your pizza so that it (the oven) can pre-heat.
There are only two essential ingredients for a pizza. Herbified (new word...) and garlicked (another new word...) tomato sauce made especially for pizza's, (NOT ketchup godammit), and of course - mozzarella cheese. The rest is entirely up to your imagination. Start off by a coating the pizza dough with a reasonable amount of tomato sauce, leaving an edge around the perimeter of the pizza about 12 millimeters (1/2 inch) wide uncoated. Next, place your favorite ingredients onto the pizza, finishing off with a good layer of finely grated mozzarella cheese.
Place in the oven and bake until the crust is golden to dark brown on the edges and the cheese is bubbling nicely.
This same recipe can be used to make a great Focaccia bread. Simply place the plain dough into the oven and bake until light brown. Remove from the oven and coat with a herb infused (herbified) olive oil and coarse salt, adding garlic to taste.
Bon appétit!
Next page.... (Fish cakes, banana fritters and banana salad)
