Peasant Bread

Original Source: The Palo Alto Junior League Cookbook
Note: This is a very wet, no-knead dough, so, while the original recipe doesn’t call for one, some sort of baking vessel, such as pyrex bowls (about 1-L or 1.5 L) or ramekins for mini loaves is required to bake this bread.

4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz) all-purpose flour*
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 tablespoons room temperature butter

* You can use as many as 3 cups of whole wheat flour, but the texture changes considerably.

 In a large mixing bowl mix together ingredients. Mixture will be very wet. 

 Cover with damp tea towel and let rise in draft free warm place. 

 (You can let the bread rise in the same bowl you mix it in.) 

 Let rise about an hour to double in bulk, but may take up to two hours.

 Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two oven-safe bowls (such as pyrex) with about a tablespoon of butter each. (More butter not only adds flavor but also prevents sticking). Punch down dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl. Divide between between baking dishes. 

 Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes.

 Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and bake for 22 to 25 minutes longer. 

 Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you’ve turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.