Quick No-Knead Rustic Italian Bread

I can feel it in the air. Starbucks brought back their Pumpkin Spiced Latte to nearly everyone yesterday. There are Pumpkin Spiced items flocking the aisles of the supermarket. It's Labor Day weekend. The high today is only reaching 88 (a BIG improvement to the 109 degrees South Louisiana was getting just a few weeks ago). Fall is on its way!

And Fall means two things to me- I can pull out my chunky-knit cardigans and rock the cool old person look and I start baking food that feels like home. First on the list, a rustic Italian bread that is customizable, quick, and fairly low-knead.

I tend to be fairly simplistic when stocking my kitchen. I try to get by with as few appliances as possible, so a bread machine is not in my cupboards. And I love homemade bread, so this is a great win-win. I make this bread for nearly every family gathering. This simple recipe will certainly impress.

The recipe is basic, but as I said, completely customizable. My favorite throw-in is an Herb de Provence mixture. It gives the bread such a nice extra flavor layer and does not mess with the bread's texture, consistency, or baking time. The recipe below is the basic recipe, but I typically toss in about a tablespoon of any mixture I'd like to add in right before the dough goes to rise. But you can add mixture to taste. This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but the same measurement for whole wheat flour will work just the same.

Rustic Italian Bread

Ingredients: 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 1/2 teaspoons (one packet) active dry yeast 

2 cups lukewarm water (this may not all be used)

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Directions: 

In a bowl or mixing glass, add 1/4 cup of warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes. If the yeast has bubbled and foamed, add the rest of the water until it reaches the 2 cup marker. 

In another bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add in the water/yeast mixture a little at a time. Use a fork to blend and add as much of the liquid mixture as you need. This will be dependent on the humidity and weather in the area. You'll need the dough to be just barely moist and it will need to be able to roll into a ball. If you choose to add any flavoring, this would be the time to do it. 

Using a bit of flour on your hands to keep from getting a sticky mess, work the dough mixture with your hands until a smooth ball forms. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover the bowl, and set in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes. Once it's risen, punch the dough back down. If you wish, you can let the dough rise again for another 30-40 minutes, but if you don't have time, you can go straight into the bread forming below! 

Preheat the oven to 375 F. 

Take the dough and place it on a baking sheet. Form the dough into whichever shape you'd like. I usually shape it in a loaf form. But this bread is rustic, so it doesn't need to be perfect! Rub olive oil over the top of the bread to give it a nice coloring and score the bread with a knife by cutting small lines into the dough. This will allow for any air and moisture to escape during baking and will keep your bread from getting soggy. 

Pop the dough into the oven and bake about 30 minutes. When the bread is done, it should sound hollow when thumped against with fingers. Let the bread cool slightly and enjoy!