Jacques Pepin's Easy One-Pot Bread

As shared from the kitchen of Once Upon a Plate by Mari

www.onceuponaplate1.com

Note: It is crucial to use a non-stick pot in order to keep this a one-pot recipe ~ I used a 4-quart saucepan. (Although you could mix up the dough in a bowl, then transfer to a greased baking vessel ~ that would defeat the idea of a simple one-pot bread, yes?)

Here's what you need and how to do it:
Non-stick pot

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups lukewarm water

2 tsp salt

1 tsp yeast

4 cups flour

Method:

In a non-stick pot combine all ingredients with a wooden spoon. Place lid or cover on pot and proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes.
Break proofed dough down (deflate), replace lid and place pot in the refrigerator overnight; 10 to 14 hours or so.   As Jacques suggests, I mix up the dough about an hour before retiring for the evening, then it's ready to bake in the morning.
When ready to bake, remove lid and place pot in (preheated) 400º(F) oven ~ bake for about 40 minutes until deep golden brown. If you're not sure, an instant read thermometer inserted in the hot-from-the oven bread should read between 190º to 200ºF. 
It's excellent toasted, and you can also vary the recipe by adding herbs of your choice, minced onion, roasted garlic, etc. to the dough while mixing the flour, yeast and water together.

Jacques give a great tutorial for making the bread during  the first few minutes of this youtube video from his series on PBS "Fast Food My Way", episode 209:

Hope you enjoy!

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