SIMPLE BREAD RECIPE
(Because two people asked! 😂)
If you want to try baking a loaf of bread, maybe even your first bread, here's a very simple recipe. No sourdough, no kneading, no complications, but it will take some time. Obviously...
You will need a so-called Dutch oven (cast iron pot with a lid). I bought one for €30. In the bakery, all ingredients are measured in grams, just in case you might think I made some mistakes. If you use imperial, use ChatGPT.
You need:
500 g flour (just look for at least 12% protein)
7 g dry yeast (one satchel)
10 g sugar
10 g salt (finely ground)
25 g oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
375 g lukewarm water
1 baking paper sheet
Cling film/plastic foil to cover
In a bowl, put the sugar (the yeast feeds on sugar), yeast, water and oil in this order. Mix them a little and wait for 10 minutes.
After that, put the flour and the salt in a bowl, pour the liquid with yeast over and mix with a wooden spoon. In 2 - 3 minutes everything should be uniformly mixed. Cover with cling film for an hour and put it in a corner, preferably somewhere higher, where it's a little warmer.
After the hour passed, give it a stretch & fold. With a wet hand, pick the edge with your fingers, lift, bring it to the centre, press it a little, and repeat until you complete with the "old edge". Let it rest for 30 more minutes, covered, and repeat the process. (If the time allows you, I suggest repeating at least once or twice; the result gets better and better.)
When the time passed, turn on the oven at 240°C with the cast iron pot inside (lid included).
Then spread the baking paper next to you and spray it with a little water. Just put the dough over in a somewhat circular shape, and put the bowl that you used earlier upside down to cover the dough.
After 25 minutes, pull out the pot and reduce the temperature to 230°C. Put the dough with the sheet in the pot, put the lid back, and set your alarm for 25 minutes.
Then, take the lid out, reduce the temperature to 210°C and bake for another 25 minutes.
Take it out, put the bread to cool off on two wooden spoons (or a baking grill) for at least 30 minutes, and enjoy.
Bon appétit!
