Because “Moonstruck” features a young, scraggly Nicolas Cage as a baker and Cher’s love interest, we’re offering a recipe for No-Knead Bread that really works! All you do is mix water, yeast, salt and flour and let it sit 12 hours. It really works!
RECIPE: No-Knead Bread
This recipe first appeared in The New York Times, adapted from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery. Makes one 11/2-pound loaf or two smaller loaves. Post columnist Diane Carman wrote about it in November of 2006. I have tested it at high altitude and adapted it further. – Food Editor Kristen Browning-Blas
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon yeast
2 teaspoons salt
11/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon warm water
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
2 cups grated cheese, any kind
Roasted garlic cloves
Sundried tomatoes
Fresh or dried herbs
Directions
In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour (blend in additions, if using) and fold it over on itself three or four times. Separate dough into two segments if making two loaves.
Generously coat 2 cotton or linen towels (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. (Use 4 towels for 2 loaves of bread.)
Put dough seam side down on towel or Sil-Pat mat and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8- quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic – I use my large Crock-Pot liner) in oven as it heats. You can bake two at once if two pots fit in your oven.
When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid (don’t forget the lid is HOT!) and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Keep a close eye on the bread, as it will brown quickly.
Cool on a rack. Eat hot with butter or olive oil.
Send us your favorite foodie-film suggestions! Drop an e-mail to Kristen at kbrowning@denverpost.com.
