This bread is a 2 day affair, and it is worth every moment of patience required. We learned the process on a video chat with a friend, and shared it with another in the same manner because the recipe seems TOO simple to be true, but trust us, it is.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
625grams AP flour – About 5 cups.
(If you wanna get real on bread, weigh your ingredients. We made the switch and the difference is not only noticeable but in some cases dramatic)
TBSP fine salt
2 ¼ TSP instant yeast, or one packet
2 ½ cups warm water
2 TSP honey
At least 6 TBSP olive oil, plus extra for your hands
3-4 TBSP butter
TOPPINGS ARE A MATTER OF PREFERENCE, BUT HERE’S OUR LIST
3 big garlic cloves sliced thin
At least 2 TBSP Minced garlic from a jar
1 TBSP finely chopped fresh Rosemary
1 TSP finely chopped fresh thyme
1 TSBP dried basil
1 TBSP dried organo
Cracked Pepper
Maldon Salt (Or similar flaky finishing salt alternative)
THE DAY BEFORE
Combine warm water, honey and yeast in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside for 5 minutes until your mixture gets nice and foamy
Combine flour and salt and slowly add to the water, yeast, and honey and mix with a spatula. Don’t use a mixer or overmix it. You want everything combined enough so there are no longer any dry spots of flour, but it will still be lumpy and thick.
Pour 3 TBSP olive oil into a bowl that will fit into your fridge and pour your dough into it. Add one more TBSP on top insuring that your dough has a coating of olive oil all around it. Cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid if your bowl has one and put it in the fridge.
Wait patiently for 24 hours. You CAN make this after as little as 8 hours, but giving it the full day (or more!) will be best.
BAKE DAY
Your dough should have some bubbles and it should be at least twice the size as when you put it away. A very experienced baker told us “It should look like it’s alive” and that was the perfect description.
We make this in a cast iron skillet, but you can use a regular baking sheet if you don’t have one. Using your butter, grease the living daylights out of the pan of your choice. Be as liberal as you can and don’t be scared.
Using a dough scraper or a fork, gently pull the dough away from the edges of the bowl towards the center. Don't mix it, you're just lightly detaching any of the dough that has gotten stuck to the side of the bowl.
Dump your dough directly into the pan. If a little sticks to the bowl, that’s okay. Scrape it out and get it all on there. Don’t worry about how it looks right now, we’re going to change it anyway. Set your pan with dough in a warm spot and let it rise for up to 1.5 hours. We set ours on the heater.
PRO TIP – If you have a dog that likes to snatch bites, make sure your dough is rising somewhere that is too high for them to reach or is blocked. Dogs love bread.
Chop your herbs and garlic while the dough rises. To confirm your dough is ready to bake, oil your fingertips and give the dough a poke. If it doesn’t bounce back and the indent from your finger keeps its shape, you’re ready to go!
Oil both hands and keeping them in a position like you’re holding a grapefruit or a softball, dip them into the dough and dimple it all over and spread it evenly in the pan.
Dress it with your remaining oil and all of the garlic and herbs your heart desires. We live for big flavor and we use a lot.
Our oven tends to run hot, so we cook this at 425 on the middle rack in a cast iron skillet. You may need to experiment with your own oven. You want the top to be golden without burning, as well as the crust. At 20 minutes, you can take the bread out and peek to check if you’re not sure! Ours typically takes 25 minutes at 425.
Remove from your pan and let it cool on a cooling rack. Slather with preferred condiments and feast.
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