No-Knead Cracked Pepper Bread
2007 Oregon's Best Winner

Yield: 1-1½ pound loaf
Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

Preparation

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water and buttermilk and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest 12-18 hours at room temperature (about 70 degrees). Cough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles.

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

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to surface or hands, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously dust a cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel with cornmeal. Put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more cornmeal. Cover with another kitchen towel and let rise for 2 to 3 hours. When ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least 30 minutes before dough is ready preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

5. Put a heavy covered cast iron or oven proof pan (3 ½ to 6 qt.) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up. Shake the pan 1 to 2 times if unevenly distributed – it will straighten as it bakes. Cover pan with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is nicely browned. Cool on rack. Best if eaten same day.

2007 Bob's Best Home-baked Bread Contest - Bob's Red Mill Flour
Dusty Doris Rose
Yamhill County