Yeast, flour, water, and salt makes magic. Real, grounded, physical, literal magic. Call it chemistry, call it baking, but really, its transformation by biological processes and fire.
Bread is magic.
And, if you don't believe me (and you have Netflix), watch Michael Pollan's documentary series Cooked.
Yeast, flour, water, salt. Your most basic bread recipe is really that simple, ingredient wise.
The recipe for 4 ingredient, no knead bread has been passed around the net a time or two over the years, but the originator (best I can tell, net-wise) of the phenomenon of cooking blogs is this recipe.
Nothing but 3 cups of flour, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon a yeast, combined in a large bowl. Add 1 5/8c of water (some incarnations of the recipe suggest 1 1/2c--whole wheat flours generally require more water, etc) and mix til its mixed but not over mixed and sticky. Cover and let it go for 12-18 hours (it should have surface bubbles). Fold over on a floured surface a time or two, cover and let rest about 15 minutes. Shape it into a ball and place it into a pre-heated (in the oven) Dutch oven (you can line the pan with parchment paper or coat the bread with corn meal or wheat bran) oven-safe bowl with lid. Bake 30 minutes at 450, then remove the lid and cook for another 15-30 minutes. Remove, cool on rack, and eat.
Magically delicious.
Share your favorite yeast, water, flour, salt (or more) recipes here!!
Bread is magic.
And, if you don't believe me (and you have Netflix), watch Michael Pollan's documentary series Cooked.
Yeast, flour, water, salt. Your most basic bread recipe is really that simple, ingredient wise.
Yeast-Water- Flour- Salt- Salt not only flavors the bread, but also slows down the yeast a bit. Dough without salt will rise much faster resulting in larger air pockets and an uneven crumb to the bread. (note from Thalassa--its also less tasty)
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Nothing but 3 cups of flour, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon a yeast, combined in a large bowl. Add 1 5/8c of water (some incarnations of the recipe suggest 1 1/2c--whole wheat flours generally require more water, etc) and mix til its mixed but not over mixed and sticky. Cover and let it go for 12-18 hours (it should have surface bubbles). Fold over on a floured surface a time or two, cover and let rest about 15 minutes. Shape it into a ball and place it into a pre-heated (in the oven) Dutch oven (you can line the pan with parchment paper or coat the bread with corn meal or wheat bran) oven-safe bowl with lid. Bake 30 minutes at 450, then remove the lid and cook for another 15-30 minutes. Remove, cool on rack, and eat.
Magically delicious.
Share your favorite yeast, water, flour, salt (or more) recipes here!!
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