This homey bread is the easiest-to-make yeast bread I’ve come across, taking much less time than most. It’s perfect with a bowl of soup or any meal begging for a comforting slice of crusty bread. It also makes great toast.
Many cooks are reluctant to try making yeast breads, although the pandemic inspired many an amateur cook to try their hand at sour dough. Yeast is a living organism, so it requires special handling. The dried yeast granules (I use Red Star or Fleischmann) need to be “awakened,” usually with the addition of lukewarm water (about the temperature of a baby’s bottle). In this recipe, the yeast is buffered by the dry ingredients, and so is protected from the hot water that’s mixed in.
I use unbleached flour (King Arthur or Hecker’s) for all my breads. Unbleached flour is rich in gluten. When the gluten in flour is stimulated by kneading, the strands that form add to the chewiness of the loaf.
Place 4 cups of unbleached flour in large mixing bowl. Add 2 packages (4 ½ teaspoons) dried granular yeast, 1 tablespoon salt, and two tablespoons sugar. Stir to combine.
Pour 2 cups of hot water into the bowl and beat with 100 strong strokes. Gradually work in additional flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough takes shape and is no longer sticky.
Turn the mixture onto a floured bowl and knead for about 8 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. To knead gather the far side of the dough toward the middle and press, continuing around the sides of the dough. Add flour to the board as needed, or sprinkle on top then knead into dough. Dough is ready when it doesn’t accept any more flour.
Place dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a moist towel, and let rest in a warm place until double in bulk, about 15 minutes.
Punch down dough and turn out onto floured work surface. Cut into 2 pieces. Shape each into an oval and place on baking sheet sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. Slash each loaf using a sharp knife. Sprinkle with water.
Place baking sheet on middle shelf of COLD oven. Place a large pan of HOT water on shelf below, and heat oven to 400. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Thump bottom of loaf to test for doneness (sounds hard and hollow when done). Turn onto racks to cool.
Because this recipe has no fat, which acts as a preservative, it should be frozen after it’s first use. After the bread has cooled, slice before freezing for ease in defrosting a portion at a time.