Easy Homemade Bread Recipes

After 24 hours, stir in additional flour and water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Start final dough 24 hours before you plan to serve the bread. In medium bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure so I can easily tell when the dough has doubled), whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add starter and water to flour and stir with dough whisk or large spoon until dough just comes together into wet, sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 19 hours on countertop.

Stir down dough (just a couple of strokes), cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 3 1/2 hours. When you have about a half hour left, put your pot (without its lid) into the oven and heat to 450 degrees F. I use a 5-quart, round, enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with 9-inch bottom interior diameter.

When ready, dough will be more than double in size. Remove hot pot from oven. Put a round of parchment in bottom to prevent sticking. Scrape dough into heated pot. Cover and place in oven. Reduce temperature to 425 degrees. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake another 30 minutes, or until crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210 degrees. Remove and let cool on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours. If not eating right away, you can recrisp crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It's best the day it is baked; the loaf can be kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for up to 2 days (makes great toast). Yields 1 loaf.

48-Hour No-Knead Ciabatta

Many recipes exist for Italian “slipper” bread (so called for its resemblance to a slipper). The flattened oval shape makes it the perfect loaf to split horizontally for a large sandwich to serve several people. Crunchy on the outside and chewy and filled with holes on the inside, it is ideal for dipping in olive oil.  

Starter, Day One:

1 packed cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 cup water, room temperature

Final dough, Day Two:

2 1/2 packed cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  

Prepare starter 48 hours before you plan to serve the bread. In 1-quart bowl, stir together flour, yeast and water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Start final dough 24 hours before you plan to serve the bread. In 2-quart glass measure, whisk together flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Add starter and water to flour, and stir with dough whisk or large spoon until dough just comes together into wet, sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 19 hours on countertop.

Stir down dough (just a couple of strokes), cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 hours.