From Episode #4 – Get That Dough! (4/16/2020)
2020 was, amongst other much worse things, the year of baking bread at home. Early in the pandemic I received this recipe from a friend who swears by it and who keeps a batch in the back of their fridge at all times. Like all things here on Super Chef, we are looking for a simple process, flexibility and versatility and the ability to save or batch recipes to de-stress and de-mystify the cooking process. This recipe is the epitome of that. It is easy (just dump it in a bowl, mix a few times and done), it lasts (you can make a batch and hold it in your fridge for up to 2 weeks) and it is versatile (I’ll show you how to use it to make yeast rolls, pita, focaccia and pizza).
Many thanks to Rebecca (Super Chef Mom’s) friend Catherine for sharing and the book “The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” by Jeff Hertzberg M.D. and Zoe Francois (St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 2013) for creating such a great recipe.
As with all recipes, I recommend using a scale and measuring by weight (grams) in order to help ensure you get the best result.
If you encounter any issues or come up with new applications for this recipe, please make sure to comment and share or email me directly at SuperChefDadNYC@gmail.com
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]No-Knead Bread Dough – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
No-Knead Bread Dough
Ingredients
Base Dough Recipe
Yeast Rolls
Focaccia
Pizza
Pita
Instructions
Base Dough
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Stir together yeast and warm water. After 10 minutes the yeast should float on the surface and form a small bubbly raft. If the yeast doesn't float it is too old and you will need to try again with a new pack of yeast.
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Stir in salt and flour (do NOT knead) until the flour is incorporated. It will be a shaggy wet dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic and set in a warm place (approx. 70 degrees F) for 2 hours.
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After 2 hours, punch down the risen dough and either proceed with baking or cover with plastic and hold in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I do not recommend freezing this dough only because I haven't tried it myself. If you do try to freeze, divide into smaller portions, defrost completely and leave to rise again for 1 hour before baking
Dinner Rolls or Buns
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Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Melt butter.
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Pinch off a piece of dough that is about 2/3 the size you want for your finished roll. For a dinner roll, a golf ball size piece is good. Shape the dough into a ball by pulling the sides underneath and tucking them under (as opposed to rolling it or working it too much) Flouring your hands will make this much easier. Set formed rolls aside to rise for 20 minutes.
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Brush tops of rolls with melted butter and bake about 20 minutes until golden, crusty and lightly browned on the bottom. A thermometer inserted into the center of a roll should read 200-205 degrees.
Focaccia
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Heat oven to 425. For a loaf that will serve 2-4 adults, I used a 7.5"x11" pyrex baking dish and about 475g of dough. Pyrex is ideal because the thick glass transfer heat well and helps make for a golden brown crust. If you do not have pyrex, look for a heavy duty pan with side at least 2" high.
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Spread butter and 2 TBS oil on the bottom and sides of the baking dish. This promotes browning, prevents sticking and gives the bread a lovely richness. For a dairy free or vegan option, increase the oil but a table spoon or two.
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Form dough into a ball as with dinner rolls and leave to rise 2 hours.
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Pull, stretch and press the dough until it fully covers the bottom of the dish. If the dough is fighting you, let it rest for 15 minutes to relax and try again.
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Spread another 2 TBS of olive oil on the top of the dough. Use your finger tips to create deep pockets in the dough ever inch or so. Top with herbs, other toppings (pressed into the depressions you just made), flaky sea salt or cheese. Rise 15 more minutes.
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Bake for 16-24 minutes until the dough is springy and temps 200 F. Optionally, if for some reason the bottom is not yet browned and you have an electric cook top, place the whole baking dish over medium high heat and carefully brown the bottom. For a gas range, transfer the bread to a large skillet and toast this way. Note that the bread will be perfectly delicious even without a browned bottom crust and can also easily be toasted after slicing.
Pizza
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Heat oven to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Lightly flour the pan and rolling pin.
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Pinch off a grapefruit sized ball of dough. Roll and stretch the dough until it is 1/4" thick. If the dough is fighting you and keeps springing back, rest for 15 minutes then try again. Repeat rolling and resting until you reach the right thickness.
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Proceed with topping the pizza. Depending on the oven, you might find that the pizza bakes better by first topping with sauce and other ingredients besides cheese, baking for 10 minutes, then adding cheese and baking until fully cooked and browned. Times will vary depending onthe thickness of the pizza, toppings and oven. In total it will take 18-20 minutes. The pizza is ready with the toppings are bubbly, the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the underneath and crust of the pizza is well browned and crisp.
Pita
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Pinch off a 2" ball of dough. Cut a piece of parchment in half or quarter, spray or oil both sides and place the dough in between. Roll until 1/4" thick. Repeat with additional dough, keeping each pita sandwiched between the parchment until ready to cook.
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Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil, ghee or a generous amount of cooking spray. Remove one piece of parmchment from a dough disk, place dough side down in the skillet and then remove the other piece of parchment. The dough is quite sticky and this will help maintain the round shape and protect your hands from the hot skillet.
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Fry until dark browned in spots and starting to puff. Flip to the other side, add a little more fat and continue cooking, flipping as needed until browned all over, puffy and cooked through.