Laheyβs βbreathtaking, miraculous, no-work, no-knead breadβ (Vogue) has revolutionized the food world.
When he wrote about Jim Laheyβs bread in the New York Times, Mark Bittmanβs excitement was palpable: βThe loaf is incredible, a fine-bakery quality, European-style boule that is produced more easily than by any other technique Iβve used, and it will blow your mind.β Here, thanks to Jim Lahey, New Yorkβs premier baker, is a way to make bread at home that doesnβt rely on a fancy bread machine or complicated kneading techniques. Witnessing the excitement that Bittmanβs initial piece unleashed worldwide among bakers experienced and beginner alike, Jim grew convinced that home cooks were eager for a no-fuss way to make bread, and so now, in this eagerly anticipated collection of recipes, Jim shares his one-of-a-kind method for baking rustic, deep-flavored bread in your own oven.
The secret to Jim Laheyβs bread is slow-rise fermentation. As Jim shows in My Bread, with step-by-step instructions followed by step-by-step pictures, the amount of labor you put in amounts to 5 minutes: mix water, flour, yeast, and salt, and then let time work its magicβno kneading necessary. Wait 12 to 18 hours for the bread to rise, developing structure and flavor; then, after another short rise, briefly bake the bread in a covered cast-iron pot.
The process couldnβt be more simple, or the results more inspiring. My Bread devotes chapters to Jimβs variations on the basic loaf, including an olive loaf, pecorino cheese bread, pancetta rolls, the classic Italian baguette (stirato), and the stunning bread stick studded with tomatoes, olives, or garlic (stecca). He gets even more creative with loaves like Peanut Butter and Jelly Bread, others that use juice instead of water, and his Irish Brown Bread, which calls for Guinness stout. For any leftover loaves, Jim includes what to do with old bread (try bread soup or a chocolate torte) and how to make truly special sandwiches.
And no book by Jim Lahey would be complete without his Sullivan Street Bakery signature, pizza Biancaβlight, crispy flatbread with olive oil and rosemary that Jim has made even better than that of Italyβs finest bakeries. Other pizza recipes, like a pomodoro (tomato), only require you to spread the risen dough across a baking sheet and add toppings before baking.
HereβfinallyβJim Lahey gives us a cookbook that enables us to fit quality bread into our lives at home. color photos throughout.
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Today - October 21, 2009 Martha Stewart - October 15, 2009
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