This is by far the easiest bread to make at home – and as a nice bonus, not only is it a simply delicious bread, but it also features a substantial crust. It’s perfect for hardy sandwiches, as dinner bread, or for dipping in oil or salsa.
Over the years, this type of bread has become a mainstay in my home. Several times a week, this particular recipe, or slight variations of it, is how I start my day. A single loaf keeps well for a couple of days, by which point it’s almost always gone anyway.
Below I’ll be covering some ideal pairings for this bread, tips for making the perfect dough, and covering precisely what you’ll need.
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Ingredient Checklist
Today’s loaf takes just five basic ingredients. Really, making homemade bread couldn’t be easier than this.
- Warm Water. This is to proof the yeast. The water needs to be between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower, and the yeast won’t proof. Any higher, and the yeast starts to die.
- Dry Yeast. I’m using standard dry yeast.
- Flour. I’m using all purpose flour for today’s bread recipe. Bread flour is fine, but will result in a slightly denser, heavier loaf. As such, which flour you use is purely a matter of preference.
- Salt. A bit of salt for the dough, otherwise you get a somewhat bland loaf.
- Cornmeal. This is for dusting on the baking pan, to keep the dough from sticking. Conversely, you can use a piece of baking parchment, which is what I’ve actually started using recently.
Tips for Handling Dough
- Become Intune with Your Dough. One of the things that’s hardest to learn when making homemade dough is telling when it’s ‘just right.’ You want a pliable, plump dough that isn’t overly sticky to the touch. It should feel almost ‘pleasant’ to handle. Getting it ‘just right’ means knowing when to add more water or flour while working it. Sadly, trial and error is really the only way to truly get this down.
- Don’t Overwork It. Handle the dough as little as possible. Excess handling means excess air. Excess air means a firmer, drier bread that fails to rise properly during baking.
- Ease up on the flour. When rolling out the dough, it can be very tempting to go nuts flouring absolutely everything from the counter to your pin to your hands to the dough itself. Stop this. Yes, flouring the workspace a little helps the dough to keep from sticking and peeling, but use as little as possible to prevent adding excess flour to the dough – which will ultimately result in a drier bread.
How to Enjoy Today’s Loaf
Gourmet Dipping Oil. My favorite dipping oil recipe ever, and it’s actually very simple to put together. This oil is mix of extra virgin olive oil, roasted garlic, red pepper, paprika, and parmesan cheese. The end result is a pleasantly spicy, yet deliciously savory oil, that’s simply wonderful on crusty bread like the one we’ve prepared here today.
Homemade Salsa. This is a big one for me. Piling on some salsa, maybe with a bit of cheese, is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this bread. Grab my favorite Salsa Fresca, and for those who like it hot, check out my Serrano Salsa.
Cilantro Chimichurri. Similar to the dipping oil linked above, a cilantro chimichurri would pair deliciously with this bread.
As Dinner Bread. Paired alongside something like a Brown Sugar and Ginger Spiced Pork Roast, today’s bread would be simply wonderful.
Hardy Sandwiches. Something like a Chicken-Fried Pork Rib Sandwich, a Rustic Grilled Pepper Toastie., or a Patty Melt is the ideal way to enjoy today’s bread.
Boule (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
Ingredients
For the Boule:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- Cornmeal for dusting
For the Garlic & Herb Infused Dipping Oil
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and basil blend
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
For the Boule:
- In a tall plastic container fill 1½ cups warm water about 100 degrees F.
- Add yeast and sugar then stir and leave to proof for about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of your stand mixed, whisk together flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add your yeast mixture.
- With the dough hook attachment, blend the flour and yeast together until a soft sticky dough forms.
- Cover and place in a warm dark place. I pre-heated the oven to it's lowest temperature then turned it off. I covered my bowl and place the dough in the warm oven to rise for about 2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, flour the surface and gently turn the dough over onto a well floured surface. DO NOT punch the dough down.
- Divide the dough with kitchen shears into two loaves.
- Quickly cloak and shape the dough without kneading it. To do so, be sure to sprinkle extra flour on top of your dough.
- Gently stretch the the surface of the dough to the bottom on all four sides. Note that some of the flour will fall off, but that's fine. This flour is to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, not to be incorporated.
- The loaves should be smooth on top but the bottom will be bunched from pull the dough over. This will flatten out during the resting and baking process.
- Lay the prepared loaves on a pizza peel or baking stone dusted with cornmeal.
- Leave the loaves to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Before baking, gently slice the top of each loaf . Bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
- Remove the bread and let cool on a cooling rack.
For the Garlic & Herb Infused Dipping Oil:
- In small oven proof bowl or ramekin, combine all the ingredients for the dipping oil.
- In the last 5 minutes of the bread baking, place the oil in the oven.
- Once the oil is bubbling, remove and let cool.
- Serve alongside the fresh bread.
Notes
*Prep Time does not include Inactive Prep Time.
*Recipe adapted from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Love homemade bread. Wish I could try some right now!
Liz says
What a perfect loaf! Perfect for my morning carb fix 🙂
Lisa says
Was wondering if you could help...made this recipe many, many times. It's SO delicious! However, I can't get it to look nice. It often bulges out on one side and cracks all along the lower sides. Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you.
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Dear Catherine, your boule looks simply gorgeous! I am not surprised your guests helped finish the whole loaf! Artisan Bread sounds like such an interesting book - thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us.
Happy Monday!
XO
Danae @ Recipe Runner says
I've always been intimidated to make artisan bread, but you've made this one look so easy. I'll definitely have to give it a try!
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
Wow, this bread looks amazing! I love a good homemade artisan bread!
Big Daddy Dave says
Tammy, Beautiful Boule! It's just about my favorite all-around loaf of bread... Once in a while, we will buy a loaf from a local bakery...but I like bread too much to keep a loaf around the house. I can fantasize though... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
speedy70 says
Complimenti, fantastica questa pagnotta!!!!
Trish says
YUM! Still haven't tried making my own bread, but this makes it sound so easy! I bet the smell is wonderful. 🙂
Dottie Sauchelli-Balin says
Dear Tammy,
Oh I do love warm homemade bread! It is so comforting. This post is fabulous..you really have made the perfect bread and it looks so delicious, my mouth is watering thinking of this one. I love the fact that this artisan free form bread does not take all day to made. This one I printed out. Have to try this for sure. Have made bread before but this one is awesome! Thank you for sharing...have a great rest of the week...
Hugs Dottie 🙂
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
The smell of bread in the oven has to be one of the most comforting smells in the world.
This bread looks beautiful! Such gorgeous photos.
I can't wait to try it!
jayne says
Looks wonderful, I admire your dedication to making wonderful bread - a skill I am yet to master!
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says
This looks phenomenal. There is NOTHING better than homemade bread! I would probably eat one loaf myself and let my guests fight over the scraps. 🙂
Shelby says
Gorgeous loaf of bread. There is nothing more inviting that a homemade loaf and the warmth and aroma that fills the home from baking it. I grew up with a mom who only served us homemade bread. It is the BEST!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
Is there anything better than the smell of home made bread in the oven? This looks better than anything in my local bakery! And it looks so easy with just 2 proves and no knocking back.
Melanie | Gather for Bread says
That looks amazing. I'm obviously a huge bread fan. 🙂
Pinned.
Have a great day!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Such a gorgeous loaf Tammy. I haven't made artisan bread in so so long, but we all love it here. And that dipping oil.... perfection. Can't wait to try this! Have a beautiful weekend. xo
April J Harris says
What a beautiful loaf, Catherine! I love the delicious dipping oil too. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop.
Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina says
This bread exemplifies the beauty of food, and extraordinarily photographed by you, Catherine!
Diane says
Made for the first time, didn't look any thing like the picture and was hard as rock on bottom, lol, made at my work, I will try again, but was so hard we where afraid to break our teeth. Lol
Sheryl says
Pictures of how the dough looks prior to the 2hr rise would be helpful. My dough was very VERY loose and sticky. Moving ahead with the bake but do not have high hopes of it actually turning out.
Samantha Donnelly says
I do love making bread and have tried various ways over the years. I think it is in my blood as my Dad was a baker, as was the past few generations as well
Beth says
I can't wait to make this bread! There's nothing better than homemade rustic bread.
Rhian Westbury says
You can't go wrong with some really good bread. I've still not tried to make my own bread before (more than a standard packet mix) but I really want x
Melissa Dixon says
This looks and sounds and looks so good. I love bread, now I am craving this one!
Mosaic Art Discovery says
omg the loaf looks out of this world!!! I can't wait to make it, i can't wait!!! Thank you so much...
Talya Stone says
I love a rustic, crusty bread like this. Perfect to go with a steaming bowl of soup!
Jupiter Hadley says
Thank you for all these tips. I have been struggling to get my bread to rise - I didn't know you could over kneed bread and think it might be that!
Lisa says
This loaf looks so delicious. My husband is better at bread making than me so I’ll share this with him.
Yeah Lifestyle says
Nothing like the smell and taste of freshly baked bread. Something which I have not done in a while so book marked your recipe so I can try making this
Laurie says
First timer here!! I just made and taste tested this bread with the garlic oil mmm! it is so delicious I cant Wait til my hubby comes home to try it. Thank you.
Linda Anderson says
This shouldn’t have been so easy. I expected it to be a flat mess but it turned out to be a great recipe! I usually make 2 standard white loaves but was short on flour and just needed for a small dinner party. Great taste and chew and loved the holes you get when you handle it very little. Amazing and now a go to. Thanks!
Living the Gourmet says
Dear Linda, I am so, so happy to hear this! It is so wonderful having fresh bread and I'm glad you found this recipe easy. Enjoy!
Catherine says
This was a mess. The ingredient amounts are off, I think. 3 cups flour and 1.5 cups water resulted in a wet mess that after 'rising' was the consistency of thick paint. No way to work with it.
Living the Gourmet says
So sorry to hear that this recipe did not work out for you. The dough should be slightly stickier however since it is a no-knead, definitely use the necessary amount of flour as you work with it until you get the softer consistency that needed to transfer the dough.