No-Knead Bread

This is one of the most popular recipes the Times has ever published, courtesy of Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery. It requires no kneading. It uses no special ingredients, equipment or techniques. And it takes very little effort - only time. You need 24 hours to create the bread, but much this is unattended waiting, a slow fermentation of the dough that results in a perfect loaf.

Vegetarian prep1 hr 30 mins total time20 hrs yields1½ pounds addedOctober 2018

• 3 cups all-purpose bread flour, more for dusting
• ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
• 1¼ teaspoons salt
• 1⅝ cups water
• cornmeal or wheat bran, as needed

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1⅝ cups water and 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°F.
2. 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 and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on a towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton 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.