Rustic Cast Iron Pot Bread Recipes

Steps:

• 1. In large mixing bowl whisk together flour, salt, and yeast. Add room temperature or lukewarm water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 to 18 hours. Overnight works good.
• 2. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 place a cast iron pot with lid in the oven and heat pot for 30 minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile pour dough onto heavily floured surface and shape into ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit while pot is heating.
• 4. Remove pot from oven and place dough inside pot. Cover and return to oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place bread on cooling rack.

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the water and allow the yeast to bloom until foamy.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt by hand. Once incorporated, create a small well in the middle and pour in the water and yeast mixture.
• Mix by hand, wetting your working hand before mixing so the dough doesn't stick to your fingers. The water and flour should come together and a form rough dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in small increments, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Once the dough comes together, cover and let rise until doubled in size (about 1 ½-2 hours).
• Uncover the dough and give it a few pokes with your finger. If the dough has risen properly, it should indent under the pressure of your finger and slowly deflate.
• Using your hand or a rubber spatula, start from the rim of the bowl to work the dough loose from the sides and fold it up and towards the center of the bowl. Turn the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat until all the dough has been pulled from the sides and folded towards the center.
• Once finished, cover and let the dough rise again for another 1 ½-2 hours.
• Once the dough has doubled in size again, gently transfer it from the bowl to a lightly floured surface.
• Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough. Using your hands, begin to shape it into a loaf. Fold the dough under itself several times to form a ball, then pinch together the seams of dough underneath.
• Place the dough seam-side down in a clean bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil and dusted with flour.
• Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place a 6-quart Dutch oven (or heavy cooking pot with oven-safe lid) inside the oven. Preheat the oven to 450˚F (230˚C) with the pot inside for 45 minutes-1 hour.
• Carefully remove the pot from the oven and place it on a trivet or heat-safe surface. (Be careful! It'll be VERY HOT.)
• Turn the proofed dough over onto a lightly floured surface and carefully place it inside the pot.
• Cover with the lid and return the pot to the oven.
• Bake for 45 minutes, removing the lid for the last 15 minutes.
• Remove bread from pot, cover, and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Mix water, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl until mixture becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir flour into yeast mixture until well incorporated. The dough will be loose and look wet. Cover bowl loosely with a damp towel and let sit for about 5 hours.
• Shape dough into 2 loaves using damp hands. Place loaves on a cornmeal-dusted work surface and score the tops a few times with a sharp knife. Allow loaves to double in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place loaves on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven, spraying the surface of the dough occasionally with water, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
• In large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, butter, onions, seasonings and sugar.
• Set bowl in sinkful of hot water to warm.
• Add yeast, egg, soda and 1 cup of the flour to warm mixture; beat vigorously.
• Gradually add rest of flour to make a soft dough.
• Scrape down sides of bowl; cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Stir down batter and turn into a well-greased 1 1/2 quart round cast iron pot or casserole.
• Cover with a towel and let rise until double, about 30 minutes.
• *Remove towel if batter begins to touch it.
• Bake in a 350 oven for 40-50 minutes til done and golden.
• **Tip on drying sage bundles --
• Gather long-stemmed sage branches into small bundles; tie with string and hang upside down in a dim airy place. Don't hang over the sink or kitchen stove where steam will slow drying. When dry, store in an airtight jar.
• Dry new herbs each year as they begin to lose flavor after about 6 months.