Dutch Oven Parmesan-Black Pepper Bread With Variations
This simple no-knead Dutch oven bread is loaded with cheese and simple seasoning that can be paired with any Italian meal. Step back and let your Dutch oven work its magic!
Servings: 8
Calories: 203kcal
Equipment
- Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer May also make this by hand.
- Dutch Oven (2-¾ quarts) I used a 3 quart
- Tea towels Like a flour sack dish towel
Ingredients
- 15 ounces All-purpose flour 3 cups
- 13 ounces Warm water (at room temperature) 1-½ cups + 2 Tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast May also use instant
- 1-¾ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 1-¾ ounces Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup
- 1-¾ ounces Cubed ¼-inch Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup
- Cornmeal as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, black pepper, grated cheese and cheese chunks.
- Add the water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70℉) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball.
- Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal.
- Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily sprink back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.
- At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2-¾ quart cast-iron pot with the lid in the oven and preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Remove the lid and set it aside. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot. It may look like a mess, that that's OK.
- Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.
- Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily.
- Makes one 1-½ pound loaf.
Notes
VARIATIONS:
Plain White No-Knead Bread: Omit and cheese and the black pepper and proceed with the instructions.
Rosemary-Lemon No-Knead Bread: Instead of the pepper and cheese, use 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary and 2 teaspoons of chopped lemon zest.
Walnut No-Knead Bread: Use 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts in place of the cheese and black pepper.
Olive No-Knead Bread: Use ⅓ cup pitted niçoise olives, ⅓ cup pitted dry-cure olives and ⅓ cup pitted picholine olives, all coarsely chopped, in place of the cheese and black pepper.
Nutrition
Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg