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Easy, crusty homemade bread made in the food processor with four ingredients

Effortless Homemade Bread

Prep time: 3 hrs
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 3 hrs 20 mins
Yield: 2 Loaves

Description

The food processor is the fastest, easiest way to make this bread, but if you don’t have one, you can make it in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment or even knead the dough by hand.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons table salt
  • Cornmeal for the pan

Instructions

  • Measure 1/3 cup of warm water in a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk the yeast into the water; let stand until it dissolves and starts to bubble, a couple of minutes. Add the remaining 1 1/3 cups of water for 1 2/3 cups total.
  • Meanwhile, pulse the flour and salt in a large food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour the liquid ingredients over the flour; process to form a rough soft ball. If the dough does not come together, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to process to machine-knead the dough until smooth, about 30 seconds longer.
  • Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few seconds to form a smooth ball. Place it in a cooking spray-coated bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rise to double in size, about 2 hours.
  • Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a chef's knife or a metal dough scraper, halve the dough, forming each portion into a ball. Arrange them on a cornmeal-coated 18- by 12-inch rimmed baking sheet; cover with a damp kitchen towel and let stand until almost double in size, about 45 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. With a sharp knife, quickly and decisively cut a cross into each loaf.
  • Place the pan of risen dough balls into oven and bake, turning the loaves from back to front after about 15 minutes, until golden brown, about 20 minutes total. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool. (Can be stored in a 1-gallon zipper-lock at room temperature for a couple of days or frozen for several months.)