Oats & Honey Bread: No Knead Method

This, so far, is my favorite bread. I adore the Rustic loaf especially with sesame seeds, but this.... This is an everyday bread. It's softer inside but still crusty. The honey adds a kiss of sweetness.  A bit more honey and a scant T of cinnamon and it becomes more a dessert bread. Just as it is, I eat this as dessert with butter (pop in microwave for 10 seconds) and smeared with jam. Hmmmmm. It's great for sandwiches, too.

The recipe is the basic No Knead recipe with 2 add ins: oats & honey. To help the extra oats stick to the top of loaf, On the second rise: I spray a non-stick 8 inch skillet with cooking oil and then lightly spritz the pan with water. Add a half a cup of oats to pan, then put dough in pan. Now, the oats will actually be on top when you flip the dough into the hot baking vessel to bake. Remember to cover the dough in skillet with plastic wrap and towel as it rises a second time.

I'm thrilled to be able to present this recipe to you. It's a wonderful bread...tasty, soft, crusty topped, and healthy. I'd like to give a shout out to my beautiful, bread-baking diva sisters: Joan, Kaz & Paula. So happy, sorelle, that you decided to give "my" breads a try....and that you agree the recipes are easy and delicious. Mangiare e Gustare!!! Eat & Enjoy!!!
Remember To Make Memories At The Table

Oats & Honey Bread

3 cups Flour (bread flour preferred)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 cup old fashioned oats (plus extra for top)
Mix these dry ingredients together in a large bowl
Add: 14 oz cool tap water 
4 Tablespoons honey
Mix together until all ingredients are combined. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula. Dough will be sticky.  
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and clean cotton towel. Let rise for 8 to 24 hours. 

After allotted time, turn dough out onto a floured counter/board. With floured hands, fold right side to center, left side to center, top to center, bottom to center and form into a ball. Place dough into a prepared 8 inch skillet or into a lightly oil sprayed bowl for a second rise. Cover with plastic wrap and cotton towel.

Set timer for 1 hour. After 1 hour,  put baking vessel with lid (no plastic knob) in cold oven and set oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove vessel from hot oven. Either dust inside vessel with flour or use parchment paper. Dump dough into vessel with oats on top. Give pot a shake and snip top of dough in three spots with a scissor. Cover with lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes until crust is desired color. 

Please resist cutting into hot bread...it will make the inside gummy (right, Joan?)

Olive Bread: No Knead Method

Three types of olives go into this simple loaf of bread. It is another No Need To Knead loaf that requires nothing more than flour, water, yeast, salt and olives. Any baking vessel is acceptable as long as it can take a high oven temperature. The lid, too! No plastic knobs. Rummage around the dark corners of your kitchen cabinets....I'm sure you'll find a Dutch Oven, Corning Ware casserole dish, Pyrex, or a crock pot inner ceramic liner. Remember, you need a heat resistant lid. Can't find it? Use heavy aluminum foil. Be careful not to burn yourself. I've invested in oven gloves that can withstand temp up to 500 degrees. If you want to use a kitchen towel to cover the dough, it must be a cotton towel not terrycloth. I believe my towels from Walmart are called flour sack kitchen towels. Parchment paper to prevent sticking and to lift hot loaf out of vessel is a good investment BUT not necessary. A hard shake will allow the loaf to slip out of baking vessel.  I suggest using Bread Flour (also called strong flour) rather than All Purpose Flour...but again, the bread will still be delicious no matter what flour you use. Be sure that the yeast is fresh and is instant yeast. After tasting your first slice of this homemade bread, you'll be a Bread Baking Diva! There are so many varieties...cheddar cheese, oatmeal honey, jalapeño, chocolate, cinnamon raisin, multi-grain, AND hot dog and hamburger rolls, ciabatta rolls for sandwiches. The possibilities are endless! Next bread recipe: Oatmeal Honey Cinnamon Loaf.

Putting the ingredients together for the first rise takes 10 minutes. Mix it together before you settle in for the night and you can bake it in the morning. Or mix it together in the morning for a fresh loaf with supper. Having guests over....How about Super Bowl Sunday?....A Cheddar Cheese loaf alone or with a bowl of chili OR an Olive Loaf drizzled with good olive oil & a sprinkle of salt will be the hit of the party. Need a gift? What host wouldn't love a warm loaf of bread? Go Crazy! Go Homemade! Go and bake this wonderful bread. And Remember To Make Memories At The Table.

Olive Bread 

Dough Rising

3 cups Flour (Bread or AP)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
12 oz cool tap water
1 small can (2 1/4 oz) Black Olives, drain well
3 oz stuffed ( pimento) Green Olives,  drain well
3 1/2 oz pitted Kalamata Olives, drain well
olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried Rosemary
OR dried Thyme (optional)

In a mixing bowl combine flour, salt, instant yeast. Mix. Then add all the chopped olives and any optional herbs you desire. Mix. Pour water into dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, too. This will take just a minute or two. The dough will be wet and sticky. That's it! Cover bowl with plastic wrap then a towel to help warm the bowl. Let it "sleep" and rise for 8 to 24 hours.

Generously flour work station (counter or wooden board). Flour your hands and remove dough from the bowl and fold once or twice. No kneading! Next, shape the dough into a ball by quickly folding right side to center, left side to center, top to center & bottom to center, and pat into a round shape.

Now...it must rise a second time either on floured counter with a floured, cotton towel covering dough. OR let rise in a bowl dusted with flour or coated lightly with olive oil....Or in a non-stick 8" frying pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 2 hours in a draft-free environment.

Set timer for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, place baking vessel WITH lid in a cold oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Baking vessel should be in oven for 30 minutes until very hot.
Carefully remove hot baking vessel to counter.
Dust inside with flour OR place a piece of parchment paper inside vessel. Be careful not to burn yourself!
Dump dough into vessel and give it a shake.
With a kitchen scissor, snip top of dough in two or three spots.
Put lid on vessel and put vessel in hot oven.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover & bake 5 to 15 minutes depending on how dark or light you want the bread to be.

Place hot loaf on a cooling rack. Restrain from cutting into hot loaf...it will make the inside gummy. Drizzle with good quality olive oil and a shake of salt. Enjoy!

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