I never thought no-knead bread would turn out to be such a winner. It’s crust is simply divine. No kneading is requested, no machines, no fancy ingredients, very little effort – just a hot oven and a good planning, because there’s one essential ingredient – TIME.

no-knead bread

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add water and stir with your hands until blended. Dough will be moist and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 12 or 18 hours at room temperature.
Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with little bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over itself once or twice.
Generously coat a cotton towel with flour and, put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Cover with  cotton towel and let it rest for another 2 hours at room temperature.

At least half an hour before dough is ready , heat oven to 250°C. Put a heavy pot or pan (cast iron, enamel,
pyrex glass, ceramics) into the oven as it heats. When dough is ready carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hands under the towel and and turn dough over into the pot, seam side up.
Cover with lid and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes until the loaf is browned. Cool on a rack.