Matt's bread - live

    I make bread often, usually variations on a plain and simple recipe which produces loaves I can have on the table about two hours after getting started, but I also love to experiment and when I saw the instructions for "Jim Lahey's Astonishing Bread" in Matt McAllester's Bittersweet: Lessons From My Mother's Kitchen (read all about the book here) I had to try it.

   This is a no-knead bread, one which takes around a day to make, and it's baked in an unconventional way, too - more of that anon - but it could hardly be easier, so yesterday I put flour, salt, yeast and water into a bowl and gave it all a mix with a wooden spoon.

 

    You then cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave it in a warm place for eighteen to twenty four hours. I've been watching its progress on and off, seeing the bubbles and general gloopiness develop and anticipating the results.

Here's the dough this morning, still not much to look at, but Matt says (and it's his version I'm using - even more uncomplicated than the original) this is the one recipe in the world he feels "limitlessly evangelical" about, so it must be good!

    I'm going to bake it around midday and then eat it for lunch, and pictures will be posted here, so please come back later and see how I get on. Fingers crossed....

Comments

[Joanna]

that bread was an internet sensation a few years ago, and Jim Lahey's book is a real inspiration. for the past few weeks I've been baking my usual dough in a pre-heated Le Creuset and the results are spectacular, better, I think, than the original Lahey bread. the loaves look so lovely, for one thing. have you tried the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes method? because that's worth looking at, too

Looking forward to seeing how you get on later today

Joanna

[Darlene]

Oh the aroma of freshly baked bread...yum!

[Rebecca]

Oooh, as a keen bread baker myself and always on the look out for new ones to try I will watch this space with interest.

[Cornflower]

Joanna, I haven't tried the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes though I was aware of the book, but I must take your tip and have a go with other dough in the pre-heated casserole.

[Suzanne]

I bought Jim Lahey's book a couple of weeks ago. All the recipes I've tried so far, were very, very good. And so easy to make!