Breads and Pastries

Submitted by Henry L:

I don't really bake but this one was interesting from NY Times:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/11/ ... bread.html

Recipe:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

No-Knead Bread
3 cup all purpose flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

1. Large bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Add 1 5/8 cup of H20 and stir until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Dough should rest for 12 to 18 hours.
2. Lightly flour a work space and place the dough. Sprinkle a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes.
3. Flour the dough, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal. Put dough seam side down on towel. Cover with another towel and let rise about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked.
4. At least half an hour before dough is sready, heat oven to 450 egress. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron or enamel) in oven as it heats. Remove the pot from oven and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed. Cover the lide and bake for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake abouther 15 to 30 minutes.