Rosemary Lemon No Knead Bread

My mom turned my onto this amazing bread. She is the baker in the family and Dave has taken up the duties in our house. But I have to say that I made this one all by myself! I'm not a baker, I fully admit this. (I have tried my hand at the breadmaker we have but I'm not enthralled wth this side of the cooking world) When it comes to measurments I just can't follow them. So breads, cookies, cakes ans such just don't make it on my list. I don't carry the sweet tooth gene hence the lack of dessert recipes on this blog. I know Dave wishes I did but I just don't care for sweets. I even have a hard time buying them at the grocery store. The only time ice cream enters the freezer is when Dave goes to get it. We can't all be well rounded cooks!!

Rosemary Lemon No Kneed Bread

recipe and picture is straight out of the Williams-Sonoma catalog (no changes made and no credit given to me!)

This bread is almost effortless to make because it requires no kneading. Instead, the dough is allowed to slowly rise over a long period of time. Then it is baked in a preheated covered cast-iron pot, which helps produce a crispy, bakery-style crust on the finished loaf.

3 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t active dry yeast
1 3/4 t salt
2 t chopped fresh rosemary
2 t chopped lemon zest
Cornmeal as needed

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, rosemary and zest. Add 1 5/8 cups water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70°F) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.

At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2 3/4-quart cast-iron pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.

Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily. Makes one 1 1/2-lb. loaf.