NYTimes No-Knead Bread

from ButterYum

makes one 1.5-pound boule

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached bread flour

• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (aka rapid rise or bread machine yeast)

• 1 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 16-inch long strip of parchment paper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together ingredients until all the flour is moistened and it looks like a shaggy mass. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 14-20 hours (18 hours being ideal).

2. Have a strip of parchment paper approx 6x16-inches ready and waiting (I cut a half sheet size piece of parchment paper in half lengthwise).

3. Lightly flour a work surface and with floured hands, fold the dough over itself twice. Cover loosely with plastic or an upside down bowl and rest for 20 minutes.

4. Lightly flour your hands and shape the risen dough into a ball and place it on the center of the parchment strip, cover loosely with cotton tea towel or upside down bowl and rest for 2 hours (the parchment will act as a sling while transporting the dough). If you like, cut an "X" on top of the dough with a serrated knife.

5. A half hour before baking, preheat oven and a 6 to 8-quart dutch oven to 450F (see note below for alternate baking vessels).

6. When ready to bake, open oven door and remove lid from preheated dutch oven and carefully lower bread dough with its parchment sling into the vessel (it's ok if parchment paper hangs over edges).

7. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until well browned.

8. Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

Note: According to the original article, the bread can be baked in a covered 6 to 8-quart heavy cast iron, enamel over cast iron, pyrex, or ceramic cooking vessel.

adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery