Before you start
This is the loaf that turned everyone into a home baker. No kneading, just a wet dough left to work overnight, then baked in a hot covered pot so it steams itself into a crackly crust. Weigh the flour and water for the reliable, open crumb.
Everything you need
- 3 cups (375 g) bread or all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1½ cups (360 g) warm water
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Stir the flour, salt and yeast in a big bowl. Add the water and mix with a spoon just until you have a shaggy, sticky dough with no dry patches. Don't knead.
For this step
- 3 cups (375 g) bread or all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1½ cups (360 g) warm water
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Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is bubbly and the dough has more than doubled.
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Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface, fold it over on itself a few times into a rough ball, and let it rest 30 minutes under the bowl.
For this step
- 3 cups (375 g) bread or all-purpose flour
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Meanwhile put a cast-iron pot with its lid in the oven and heat to 230°C / 450°F for at least 30 minutes.
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Carefully lower the dough into the hot pot (baking paper makes this easy), cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
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Take off the lid and bake another 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding. Cool fully before slicing, or the crumb turns gummy.
Baker's tips
- The long, slow rise is what builds the flavour and the open holes. Don't rush it.
- A screaming-hot covered pot traps steam, which is what gives you the crackly crust at home.
Make it your own
- Fold in 100 g of grated cheese and a little cracked pepper after the first rise.
- Add 75 g of olives or a handful of rosemary when you shape it.
Storing & freezing
Cut-side down on a board for 2 days, or slice and freeze. Refresh in a hot oven for 5 minutes to bring back the crust.
Frequently asked
Can I make it faster?
A warm spot and a little more yeast (1 teaspoon) can cut the rise to about 3 to 4 hours, but the overnight version has far more flavour.
No cast-iron pot?
Bake on a hot tray and put a shallow tin of boiling water on the oven floor for steam. The crust is a touch softer but still good.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to bake
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.