Easy, No Knead, French Peasant Bread

I was in between paychecks and out of bread.  Two unexpected kitty visits to the veterinarian's took care of any "extra" cash I might have had. The good news is the kitties are back frolicking about but I was still out of bread.

I checked the pantry and I had all the ingredients to make my own, so I went to my cookbooks, but nothing caught my eye.  Besides, I had been having a run of bad luck with the last few recipes I tried from my a couple of my favorite books.  I metaphorically tightened my belt and resigned to waiting for payday.

Then I saw Lara's post for French Peasant Bread on her blog, Recipe Shoebox.  The minute I saw it and read how much she loved it (she said she made it four times in a week and a half!), I knew it was meant for me, too.  Five ingredients, just stir,  no kneading, no shaping,  and you have delicious, chewy, crusty, soft on the inside, French bread.  This recipe is a definite keeper with me. Just look at all the delicious nooks and crannies.  Do I have to tell you that Ole Sweetie Pi and I filled them up with melted butter?

French Peasant Bread

(From Laura's Blog, Recipe Shoebox)

1 tablespoon quick rising (instant) yeast
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all purpose flour

olive oil (for greasing the pan)
cornmeal (for sprinkling on the pan)
1/4 cup butter melted (to put on dough before and after baking)

Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in warm bowl and stir until dissolved.

Add flour and stir until blended, but do not knead.  Cover and let rise one hour or until double in size.

The dough is quite sticky, so grease or flour your hands and remove dough from the bowl.  Divide the dough into two equal rounds on place on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Leave plenty of space between them so that the doughs have plenty of room to rise, or use two small cookie sheets.  Let rise an additional hour.

Brush the tops and sides of the rounds with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush tops and sides of rounds again with melted butter.  Serve warm.

Laura, thanks again for posting your recipe so that we also may enjoy this wonderful, rustic bread.

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