Adaptation of the Lahey Mother recipe,(see my post on No Knead) I started with the basic recipe and then upon turning it out onto the floured kitchen table I dotted half the surface with 1/2×1x1/8 slices of parmesan and whole cloves of garlic, then folded it to cover the inclusions, did the same for the other half (now a half circle- so covering 1/4 circle) folded it again and quickly shaped it into a ball and placed it in a bowl lined with an oat bran dusted cotton napkin.
Here’s what I did…
+/- 3C Bread Flour (Must be Bread Flour)
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry yeast
1-1/3 C cool water (55º-65ºf) Winter tap is prob. 45º (I used cider that was semi-hardened in the fridge- don’t use anything that has potassium sorbate or you’ll kill the yeast.) I also nuked it for 45 seconds to warm it a bit.
Whole wheat bran, flour or something else for dusting.
1/4 lb or less of small slices of parmesan Cheese
1 head of roasted garlic- this I cheated on and bought from Wegmans olive bar- if you need to rast it yourself- peel all the cloves from a head of garlic and roast them in the oven at around 300º after tossing them in a bit of olive oil, enough to coat them. DO NOT LET THEM GET DARK!
Mix water with yeast, stir, add salt, add flour, it should be fairly wet so i mixes well, but not so it puddles or smears in the bowl…(mix it quickly with a wooden spoon in a ceramic, glass or plastic bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and forget it for a day and a half or more- (start it at night, say 10pm- then the next evening, you’re ready for stage 2)
Turn out onto a floured surface and quickly fold 1-2 times- adding the cheese and garlic on one side, then fold and add more on the remaining half and fold and immediately shape into a ball. Place it on a liberally dusted kitchen towel (NOT TERRY) with the seam side down, like linen or smooth cotton. COver ball with more bran dust or whatever you choose and cover with another towel. Let sit to rise again for 2-4 hrs.
1/2 hr before the bread is ready to bake- preheat oven and a cast iron covered dutch oven or ceramic casserole with lid to 475º. Carefully and quickly flop the dough into the cast iron pot, shake it a bit to settle it and cover, bake for 1/2 hr. uncover and go another 5-15 mins based on color. Let cool for 1/2 hr. (This is a must). Enjoy!
