Homemade Bread ---- So Easy!

There was a time when I would have laughed at anyone who suggested that making homemade bread could be easy.  Mixing and kneading and rising and kneading and rising  ... no way! I couldn't do all that.  Too much time for something that probably wouldn't turn out anyway...for me at least.  That was all before I found this Artisan Free Form Loaf recipe.  A friend forwarded me the recipe after finding it online.  It's from a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking.

Now homemade bread is a very regular thing in our house.  I love the smell of fresh baked bread and the way the butter melts as you spread it on warm bread. Yummmm! We had some for dinner tonight actually.

There are only 4 ingredients:
6 1/2 Cups of Flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons each of Kosher Salt and Yeast
3 Cups of Warm Water

Mix the ingredients together just until everything is evenly moist ... no kneading!  Let it rise in a lidded not air-tight container for anywhere from 2-5 hours. 

Pull out the amount you want to bake, shape into a loaf, slash the top with a knife and slide into a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes.  A broiler pan with 1 cup of water in the hot oven makes the crust crisp and chewy.  The remaining dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.  Next time you want bread ... pull out the amount you want, shape into a loaf and let rise for 30-40 minutes before baking. 

Did I make that??  Sure did!
The recipe gives lots more detailed directions than I did but it truely is as easy as I've said here!  We enjoy this bread most often warm with butter with a meal.  We've used it to make panini sandwiches.  I like it toasted with peanut butter for breakfast. 

Enjoy! 
 

Check out Life as a Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap for more recipes using the key ingredient of flour!

Want to get Saving Bits and Pieces delivered right to you?  Receive updates by subscribing by RSS Feed or Email.  You also can follow on the Saving Bits and Pieces Facebook Fan Page.