No-Knead Skillet Bread

Happy Memorial Day!

Something about baking bread....it's almost elemental. 

It feels like getting back to your roots. 

And the smell...is like home.

Which is why it's so sad that most people feel like baking bread is too difficult. Cuz guys IT'S NOT! Especially this recipe: no kneading, only a little over 2 hours start to finish (which isn't that long! And 1 and 1/2 hours of it are inactive, just waiting for it to rise--during which you can do some laundry, clean, watch TV, read a book...whatevs!) and it just bakes up in a gorgeous, rustic, cast iron skillet. And there's some pretty pretty rosemary on top. ooooh

Once you've baked up the beautious bread, you can use the bread for whatever you want (I used it for some grilled cheese even) but may I suggest roasted garlic? Cuz...roasted garlic is the bomb dizzel.

Random sad fact: As I write this I have been out of garlic for almost 1 whole week and haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store. It's a tragedy.

End of the day you have fluffy, golden brown, herbed, roasted garlic spread-ed, bread. That's a total crowd pleaser. Or just a you in your sweatpants pleaser. Either way, everyone is happy!

No-Knead Skillet Bread

From Baker Bettie

Ingredients:

• 1 package (or 2 and 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 4 and 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• olive oil
• rosemary
• Optional--1 clove roasted garlic per 1 tbsp. softened butter, mashed together, to create a roasted garlic butter.

Preparation:

• Mix yeast and warm water in a large bowl. 
• Using a large spoon stir in the salt and 1 cup of the flour until combined.
• One cup at a time, stir in the rest of the flour until fully mixed together.
• Cover lightly with a towel in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Lightly oil a 10-12 inch. (pref. 12) cast iron skillet. 
• Once the dough has rise, sprinkle some flour on top and cover hands with flour. Take dough and press into a disc in the skillet.
• Cover loosely with a towel and let rise another 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400F degrees. 
• Drizzle olive oil over the top of the risen dough and use a knife to slash an X into the dough. Sprinkle with coarse/sea salt and rosemary (fresh is preferred, I used dried).
• Bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is a deep golden brown.
• Cool, cut, serve! (If desired mix up some roasted garlic butter--which I described in the ingredients list--and spread it on the bread.)