No-Knead Oatmeal-Millet Peasant Bread

Your guests will not believe you made this bread yourself! The crust is bakery-perfect and the crumb is moist and chewy. Rather than baking it in a loaf pan or on a pizza stone, this recipe uses a Dutch oven or other oven-proof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid!

Step: 1

Combine boiling water, oats, and millet in a large bowl. Let cool to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C), about 10 minutes.

Step: 2

Dissolve yeast and salt in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir into the oat-millet mixture. Add 2 3/4 cups flour; stir until dough forms a loose ball. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Step: 3

Dust a cutting board with 1 tablespoon flour. Turn the dough out onto the board. Tuck in the edges gradually to shape dough into a boule (rustic, French-style ball) without kneading. Cover with a clean dish towel; let rise until nearly doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Step: 4

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Place a lidded Dutch oven inside.

Step: 5

Make 3 slashes on top of the dough boule using a serrated knife.

Step: 6

Remove hot Dutch oven from the oven carefully. Uncover; sprinkle cornmeal over the bottom and place boule inside; cover with the lid. Reduce oven heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step: 7

Bake in the preheated oven for 28 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Continue baking until top is golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes more. Carefully lift loaf out of pan onto a work surface and gently tap bottom of loaf; if it sounds hollow, bread is done. Let cool for at least 1 hour on a wire rack.

Per Serving: 140 calories; protein 4.3g; carbohydrates 28.5g; fat 0.7g; sodium 293.1mg.

The quality of the flour can make a real difference to your bread. Different brands do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re making wholemeal bread , which doesn’t always rise as well as clear bread.

To made this in a breadmaker , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be done in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can work it night before , then clear it off the next day.