I almost forgot, you’re going to need this for our journey to the dark side.

I’ve become a reluctant devotee of the no-knead method.  Of course it’s a lot less work, but the thing is, I have to work even harder to resist the urge to knead the dough.  I like the way it feels, squeezing the air out, knuckling the dough till I’m grazing the wood beneath it, stretching the proteins and delivering a resounding thwack now and then. I’ll always struggle to sit still for traditional meditation, but the rhythmic kneading transports me.  In that space, I understand things. Things about how slow-rise and the universe at large conduct themselves.

But I’m going to have to get my oneness elsewhere because no-knead truly turns out a superior loaf of bread.

(In case you’re interested, it turns out that cheese is not too different. Some of you know I’ve been dabbling in homemade mozzarella and ricotta. My last batch of mozzarella came out chewy and tough. We melted it on pizza – no loss there – but I’m not going to all that trouble for pizza cheese.  Later I talked with Simon the Cheese Guy (the other cheese guy named Simon, the one I don’t live with) at the Wine Merchant. Immeasurably wise and generous with the words, Simon explained that the proteins get tough if they’re overhandled, which sounded awfully familiar. If any of you are making cheese though, know this: unlike bread dough, cheese-in-the-making that’s left alone in its whey for a few days will soften up again).

But back to the task at hand.  Do this, and then after the first rise, zip it up in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Gently deflate it every day or two – but it’s not going to be there that long. At any rate, it will straddle the fence this-side of pleasantly sour for about a week, and then, ready or not, you’ll have to use it up.

No-Knead Bread Dough for You’ll-See-What
2 cups white or bread flour
1 tablespoon semolina or whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 ¼ cups cool water (68 degrees if you’re measuring; otherwise cold tap is fine)
1 ¼  teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a bowl, combine the flours, the sugar and the salt and stir to distribute evenly. I find that it’s useful to employ a whisk at this point to thoroughly combine ingredients without packing them down too much.

Place one cup of the water in another bowl and sprinkle with the yeast. Allow to sit for one minute only, then stir well. Immediately stir in the olive oil and then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a large wooden spoon, then, using hands, gather the ingredients and mix till a dough has formed. The dough should be wet and sticky while holding its shape – if it’s too dry, add a bit of the reserved water until the right consistency is achieved. Go ahead, gently work the dough, pushing and pulling the dough to stretch and fold it. You know you want to. But after one minute, and not a second more, you’re going to have to stop.

Let the dough rest in the bowl for a minute, then lightly oil the surface and cover it with plastic wrap or a thick towel. Allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour and a half, then gently squeeze out the air, flattening the mass again. Place in an airtight container or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.