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Herbed Peasant Bread Recipe

An easy, no-knead, make-ahead herbed peasant bread that I get lots of compliments on! Recipe modified from the original recipe in Victoria Magazine archives from October 1999.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Needs to sit overnight:1 day

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour (all-purpose is fine too)
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp yeast
  • 2 1/4 cups warm water (about 100 degrees)
  • 1 tsp dried parsley optional
  • 1 tsp dried thyme optional
  • 1 tsp dried basil optional
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary optional

Instructions

  • Put all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the 2 14/ cups of warm water.
  • Stir the ingredients until mixed.
  • I know I said this is no-knead, but I do knead the dough at this point a few times to incorporate any flour left in the bowl. If your dough is completely mixed, then skip this step.
  • Cover the dough in a bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight and up to 24 hours.
  • After your dough has sat overnight, it should have risen significantly and have some bubbles in it. The dough will be loose and sticky.
  • Remove the dough and form it into a ball, and set it on parchment paper.
  • Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 2 hours more. I like to dust my dough with flour at this point to keep the plastic from sticking.
  • Near the end of the 2 hours turn the oven on to 500 degrees and place a 4-6 quart dutch oven in it to heat up.
  • Remove the plastic wrap from the dough.
  • If desired, dust the dough with flour and score with a knife.
  • Using oven mitts, remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven and set it in your baking area for the moment.
  • Next, very carefully lift the edges of the parchment paper with your dough still on it and set it in the dutch oven.
  • Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and put it back in the 500-degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the lid in the last 15 minutes of baking.
  • Remove the bread from the oven when brown on top and done.
  • Let cool for a few minutes and Enjoy!