The No-Knead Bread Method is something every cook should know about, a bread-making technique that requires very little hands on effort, no special equipment, and comes out perfect every time. This no knead olive bread, with its irresistible crispy crust, tender crumb and hints of rosemary, is our favorite.

Baking bread is not something I do. I tried once, using the bread machine I got as a wedding gift. On my first attempt I baked the kneading attachment into the loaf. After that I happily turned over the bread-baking to my husband Eddie, who was eager to take it on.

Eddie is the bread baker (and cocktail maker) in our house and on Panning the Globe. He's become famous (among our family and friends) for his incredible olive bread. Whenever he makes it, we all gather round the kitchen island to watch it cool and we sometimes lean in to listen to the crust crackle. But mostly we're there because we can't wait for a slice of that incredible olive bread, warm from the oven, which we cut into small pieces and dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

How To Make Delicious No Knead Olive Bread

This no-knead technique is easier to execute and harder to mess up than traditional bread-baking methods and the final product is something to behold. Start this recipe at least 9 hours before you plan to eat the bread. The actual hands-on labor for making this olive bread is minimal. Most of the time spent on this recipe is waiting for the dough to sit and rise and develop it's wonderful texture.

Here's an overview of the process - see the recipe below for exact details:

Mix and First Rise: Mix flour, salt, rosemary and yeast in a large bowl. Pour a mixture of olive oil and water over the dry ingredients and add the sliced olives. Stir the mixture with wooden spoon until all the dry flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic and let it stand for 4-5 hours, until dough is approximately doubled in size.
Rework and Second Rise: Use a rubber spatula to scrape the wet, bubbly dough onto a floured work surface. Let dough sit for about 5 minutes. Dust the surface of the dough with a sprinkling of flour, fold the dough over and press it with the heel of your hand and flip it over and fold it again. Do this several times, until the dough absorbs the fresh flour and loses most of its stickiness. Rinse and dry the bowl and coat it with olive oil. Return dough to bowl and roll it around to coat it with oil from the sides of the bowl. Cover it with plastic and let it sit for 1 ½ -2 hours, until it is about 50% larger.
Rework and Final Rise: Again put dough on a floured surface. Flip and fold about 8-10 times and form a ball. Put ball into a floured Banneton or colander with floured dish towel. Fit the banneton or colander back into the large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
Bake: About a half hour before dough is ready, place the empty Dutch oven, with its lid on, into the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºF. When the bread is ready (done rising), carefully take the heated Dutch oven out of the oven, set it on the stove or a heat-proof surface, and uncover it. Sprinkle cornmeal over the bottom of the pot. Flip the dough into center of the Dutch Oven, being careful to avoid contact with the sides of the pot, to get the ideal shape. (If the dough touches the side of the pot, you will need to use a spatula to position it into the center of the pot. It will taste just as good.) Cover pot, place into the hot oven and reduce temperature to 450ºF. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes until the crust is nicely browned. Remove the pot from the oven, transfer the bread to a cooling rack and let it stand for 20 minutes before slicing.

After we sold our bread machine at a garage sale, Eddie started collecting books on the art of bread making. He tried all sorts of types and techniques over the years, hoping to achieve his vision of the perfect bread. Each time a bread would come of the oven, there was much anticipation. At times Eddie would say "I think this might be "The One." Over a period of about 16 years there were numerous excellent breads with some nearing perfection. But the family concurred that none had earned the status of being "The One," so the quest continued until along came something new and exciting in the world of bread baking.

Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread Recipe

In 2006, The New York Times reported on a revolutionary new bread-making method developed by Jim Lahey of New York's Sullivan Street Bakery. This technique, they explained, requires almost no kneading and empowers the home cook to turn out bakery-quality loaves. The time consuming and challenging kneading process required in traditional bread making is virtually eliminated here, and a Dutch oven is used to simulate the environment of a professional bread oven.

Eddie played around with the no-knead recipe for a while, finally adding olives and fresh rosemary from our herb garden. One day out of the oven came "The One!" Eddie's been making this no-knead olive bread for several years now and it is "The One" every time. I hope it is for you too!

Here's the recipe for Eddie's no knead olive bread. If you make this I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. Eddie and I would love to know what you think!

Recipe