Better than from a bakery, and you don’t even have to get your hands dirty. Hit pot bread

Homemade bread baking sounds like something for patient perfectionists with a lot of free time. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The pot method has debunked this myth once and for all – you mix the dough with a spoon in a bowl, the cast iron pot does all the work, and you leave the kitchen with a loaf that smells better than anything you bought in the store. If you haven’t tried this method yet, now is your time.

A cast iron pot heats up slowly, but maintains the temperature extremely stable, much better than a baking tray or ceramic form alone. When you pour the dough into it and close the lid, the steam released from the loaf is trapped inside.

This creates an environment similar to a professional bakery ovenin which moisture makes the skin remain flexible for the first few minutes and can expand freely. This allows the bread to rise evenly and creates that characteristic crack line on the top – the hallmark of a good artisan loaf.

When you remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of baking, the magic happens. The skin quickly turns brown and hardens, gaining a deep color and unique crunchiness. Cast iron emits heat evenly from all sides, thanks to which the bottom of the bread is as baked as the top. That’s why it’s worth baking bread in a cast iron pot. An ordinary home oven itself is not able to create such conditions.

If you feel like performing in a cast iron potremember that this method requires the preparation of thinner dough than traditional dough, so it should not be kneaded. Its advantage is that it grows for a long time and on its own. Below you will find all the necessary information:

Ingredients:

• 450 g of wheat flour type 750 or bread flour type 650
• 350 ml of lukewarm water
• half a teaspoon of dry instant yeast
• one and a half teaspoons of salt

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix with a spoon or spatula until combined. The dough should be sticky and heterogeneous. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and leave at room temperature for 12-18 hours. This is the secret of the recipe for pot bread that always turns out well (without kneading). Aging time replaces kneading, and long fermentation develops a deep, slightly sour taste.
2. The next day, preheat the oven to 230 degrees with the cast iron pot inside. The dish must be really hot, so give it at least 30 minutes. Place the dough on a floured surface, fold it several times and form a ball.
3. You can also put them straight into a pot lined with baking paper – without folding, straight from the bowl. Cover with a lid and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is a deep, mahogany color.
4. Tap the bottom of the finished loaf. If you hear a dull sound, it means everything went according to plan. Leave it on a rack for at least an hour before slicing. Cutting hot bread will result in the interior losing its structure.
5. Would you like to try the grain version? Add four tablespoons of sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin or linseed to the dough. You can lightly roast them in a dry frying pan for a more intense aroma. Or maybe you are a fan of wholemeal bread? Then replace one third of the wheat flour with whole wheat flour. Then the loaf will be darker, more flavorful and even more filling.

Sources: Terazgotuje.pl, kontaktowitychleb.pl, fotokulinarnie.pl