When I tell you that, if forced, I had to pick one and only one recipe to share with you that this — my mother’s peasant bread — would be it, I am serious. I would almost in fact be OK ending the blog after this very post, retiring altogether from the wonderful world of food blogging, resting assured that you all had this knowledge at hand. This bread might just change your life.
The reason I say this is simple. I whole-heartedly believe that if you know how to make bread you can throw one hell of a dinner party. And the reason for this is because people go insane over homemade bread. Not once have I served this bread to company without being asked, “Did you really make this?” And questioned: “You mean with a bread machine?” But always praised: “Is there anything more special than homemade bread?”
And upon tasting homemade bread, people act as if you’re some sort of culinary magician. I would even go so far as to say that with homemade bread on the table along with a few nice cheeses and a really good salad, the main course almost becomes superfluous. If you nail it, fantastic. If you don’t, you have more than enough treats to keep people happy all night long.
So what, you probably are wondering, makes this bread so special when there are so many wonderful bread recipes out there? Again, the answer is simple. For one, it’s a no-knead bread. I know, I know. There are two wildly popular no-knead bread recipes out there. But this is a no-knead bread that can be started at 4:00pm and turned out onto the dinner table at 7:00pm. It bakes in well-buttered pyrex bowls — there is no pre-heating of the baking vessels in this recipe — and it emerges golden and crisp without any steam pans or water spritzes. It is not artisan bread, and it’s not trying to be. It is peasant bread, spongy and moist with a most-delectable buttery crust.
Genuinely, I would be proud to serve this bread at a dinner party attended by Jim Lahey, Mark Bittman, Peter Reinhart, Chad Robertson, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. It is a bread I hope you will all give a go, too, and then proudly serve at your next dinner party to guests who might ask where you’ve stashed away your bread machine. And when this happens, I hope you will all just smile and say, “Don’t be silly. This is just a simple peasant bread. Easy as pie. I’ll show you how to make it some day.”
A foolproof way to make sure your yeast is active is to sprinkle it over lukewarm water in a small bowl with a little sugar (detailed instructions below). After about 10 minutes, the yeast mixture will appear foamy as it does here:
Just-mixed dough, ready to rise:
Dough after first rise:
Dough, punched down:
Dividing the dough in half:
As I noted above, this is a very wet dough and must be baked in an oven-proof bowl. I am partial to the Pyrex 1L 322 size, but any similarly sized oven-proof bowl will work.
Buttering and filling the bowls:
Dough after second rise, ready for the oven:
This is the yeast I buy exclusively: SAF Instant Yeast. Instant yeast can be whisked into the flour directly (as you would salt or sugar) without any blooming or proofing. Find it here: SAF Instant Yeast. If you want to stick to active-dry (but don’t! I promise, instant is so easy.) Red Star yeast is great.
This bread is irresistible when it’s freshly baked, but it also makes wonderful toast on subsequent mornings as well as the best grilled cheese.
Bread Toast Crumbs: The Trailer
View More Video Tutorials Here.
My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 2 loaves
The bowls:
The cheapest, most widely available 1-qt bowl is the Pyrex 322. Sold here, too.
The vintage Pyrex #441 bowl is my favorite bowl to bake the peasant bread in — the perfectly round shape of the bowl creates a beautiful round loaf. It belongs to a set of four nesting bowls (also called Cinderella bowls, specifically the Pyrex #441, #442, #443, #444), which I have purchased from Ebay. I absolutely love the set in general, but I love most of all that I can bake the whole batch of peasant bread in the second largest bowl (#443) and half of the batch in the smallest bowl (#441). The set runs anywhere from $35 to $50 or higher depending on the pattern of the Pyrex. More pictures of the bowls can be found on this post.
The bread:
This is a sticky, no-knead dough, so, some sort of baking vessel, such as pyrex bowls (about 1-L or 1-qt) or ramekins for mini loaves is required to bake this bread. You can use a bowl that is about 2 qt or 2 L in size to bake off the whole batch of dough (versus splitting the dough in half) but do not use this size for baking half of the dough — it is too big.
Yeast:
I buy SAF Instant Yeast in bulk from Amazon I store it in my fridge or freezer, and it lasts forever. If you are using the packets of yeast (the kind that come in the 3-fold packets), just go ahead and use a whole packet — It's 2.25 teaspoons. I have made the bread with active dry, rapid rise, and instant yeast, and all varieties work. If you are interested in buying yeast in bulk, here you go: SAF instant yeast and Red Star Baking Yeast (use this if you prefer to stick to active-dry, though I highly recommend using instant). The beauty of instant yeast is that there is no need to do the proofing step — you can add the yeast directly to the flour. I never use active-dry yeast anymore.
Troubleshooting:
Several commenters have had trouble with the second rise, and this seems to be caused by the shape of the bowl they are letting the dough rise in the second time around. Two hours for the second rise is too long. If you don't have a 1-qt bowl, bake 3/4 of the dough in a loaf pan and bake the rest off in muffin tins or a popover pan — I recently made 6 mini loaves in a popover pan. The second rise should take no more than 30 minutes.
Also, you can use as many as 3 cups of whole wheat flour, but the texture changes considerably. I suggest trying with all all-purpose or bread flour to start and once you get the hang of it, start trying various combinations of whole wheat flour and/or other flours. Also, measure scant cups of flour if you are not measuring by weight: scoop flour into the measuring cup using a separate spoon or measuring cup; level off with a knife. The flour should be below the rim of the measuring cup. Here's a printable version that's less wordy: Peasant Bread Recipe, Simplified
Peasant Bread Fans! There is now a book: Bread Toast Crumbs, a loaf-to-crumb bread baking book, filled with tips and tricks and answers to the many questions that have been asked over the years. In the book you will find 40 variations of the master peasant bread recipe + 70 ideas for using up the many loaves you will bake. Learn more about the book here or buy it here.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (512 g | 1 lb. 2 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups lukewarm water (made by mixing 1 1/2 cups cold water with 1/2 cup boiling water)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant or active-dry yeast
- room temperature butter, about 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Mixing the dough: If you are using instant yeast: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed. If you are using active-dry yeast: In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top. There is no need to stir it up. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this step will ensure that the yeast is active. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast-water-sugar mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed.
- Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour. (In the winter or if you are letting the bread rise in a cool place, it might take as long as two hours to rise.) This is how to create a slightly warm spot for your bread to rise in: Turn the oven on at any temperature (350ºF or so) for one minute, then turn it off. Note: Do not allow the oven to get up to 300ºF, for example, and then heat at that setting for 1 minute — this will be too hot. Just let the oven preheat for a total of 1 minute — it likely won't get above 100ºF. The goal is to just create a slightly warm environment for the bread.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two oven-safe bowls (such as the 1-qt pyrex bowls I mentioned above) with about a tablespoon of butter each. Using two forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl, which it will be clinging to. As you scrape it down try to turn the dough up onto itself if that makes sense. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you've punched it down. Then, take your two forks and divide the dough into two equal portions — eye the center of the mass of dough, and starting from the center and working out, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Then scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls. This part can be a little messy — the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier — my small salad forks work best; my dinner forks make it harder. It's best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop.
- Let the dough rise for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near the oven (or near a warm spot) or until it has risen to just below or above (depending on what size bowl you are using) the top of the bowls. (Note: Do not do the warm-oven trick for the second rise, and do not cover your bowls for the second rise. Simply set your bowls on top of your oven, so that they are in a warm spot. Twenty minutes in this spot usually is enough for my loaves.)
- Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and make for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. If you've greased the bowls well, the loaves should fall right out onto the cooling racks. If the loaves look a little pale and soft when you've turned them out onto your cooling racks, place the loaves into the oven (outside of their bowls) and let them bake for about 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Variations:
#1. Cornmeal. Substitute 1 cup of the flour with 1 cup of cornmeal. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
#2. Faux focaccia. Instead of spreading butter in two Pyrex bowls in preparation for baking, butter one 9x9-inch glass baking dish and one Pyrex bowl or just butter one large 9x13-inch Pyrex baking dish. If using two vessels, divide the dough in half and place each half in prepared baking pan. If using only one large baking dish, place all of the dough in the dish. Drizzle dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if using the small square pan) and 2 tablespoons of olive oil (if using the large one). Using your fingers, gently spread the dough out so that it fits the shape of the pan. Use your fingers to create dimples in the surface of the dough. Sprinkle surface with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes at 425ºF and 17 minutes (or longer) at 375ºF. Remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack.
#4 Gluten-free
Did you make a recipe?
Tag @alexandracooks on Instagram and hashtag it #alexandracooks.
Andy B says
Great recipe! I had to improvise a little with the pyrex bowls as I only had 1 x 1 liter and 1 x 2.5 liter bowls available. The bread turned out exactly as described in the blog. I did not deviate from the recipe at all. I will most definitely be making this again. Thanks for posting this!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Andy!
Kathleen says
Hi,
This looks very good, will give it a try. First though I would like to ask about the unbleached flour. Which brand do you use? I usually have King Arthur in the panty . The reason I ask is different flours have different protein numbers which make a difference in rise and texture.
Thanks
Kathleen
alexandra says
King Arthur Flour is my favorite!
Anna says
My dough was too wet and after 50 minutes (baked full batch in a 2.5qt Pyrex) was still undercooked. Cooked for an additional 10 and then bread seemed overcooked; hard crust and dried out. Everyone has such success with this, I’m hoping my second go-around yields a better loaf.
alexandra says
Hi Anna,
Do you use a scale to measure the flour? Did the dough look similar to the photos at the various phases? Is your oven generally reliable?
Renee Parsons says
If I use the pyrex 1.5 #441 bowl to bake the peasant bread in… Do I use the follow the master recipe,
(4 c flour, 2 tsp salt and sugar)????? Or do reduce the ingredients due to size of the 750ml 1.5pint bowl?
Thanks so much, Renee
alexandra says
So sorry for the delay here! No need to adjust the recipe for the Pyrex #441. Love that bowl/shape!
Thesia says
Die brood is heerlik en so maklik om te bak.. Sal dit verseker weer bak. Lovely recipe and so easy to bake.
Amy says
I love this recipe! I’ve tweaked it a little according to our family’s preferences. I use half whole wheat flour, and I use a tablespoon of honey instead of the sugar. Sometimes I throw in a quarter cup of steel cut oats for texture. I bakenit in a Pyrex deep dish pie pan, and it comes out perfect every time!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this Amy!
Diane says
Amy, thanks for commenting. I came to the comment section to ask both how to use honey instead of sugar and if My Pyrex pie pans will work.
judy beauchamp says
Just tried my first two loaves. No trouble rising, measured flour, nice golden crust. Comments from family were it seemed “doughy”….any ideas on what I did wrong? used 1qt pyrex round…general all purpose flour and the instant yeast mentioned above. thank you, Judy
Judy Beauchamp says
any thoughts? now that I look back at the picture, my loaf did not bake up as high as yours….I did use a scale. I just used gold medal flour…perhaps a better flour? Thank you! Loved the process and idea of baking fresh bread…very hygge!
alexandra says
Hi Judy! Sorry for the delay here. I typically use King Arthur Flour, though many brands of flour should produce fine results. Gold Medal isn’t bleached is it? If you are up for using another brand of flour, I would try KAF. Great to hear you are using a scale — that is key. I think you could try letting the rises go a little bit longer. Go for 1.5 to 2 hours on the first rise; for the second rise, just let it go long enough so that it creeps about the rim of the bowl. It usually takes about 20 minutes, but it can take longer especially when kitchens are cold. You could also try baking the bread for a little bit longer — until it’s golden brown all around — and also letting it cool for at least 15 minutes or more before cutting. Hope that helps! And yes, bread baking = total hygee 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love it. Good luck!
Judy Beauchamp says
Thank you! I will give it another try!
Elaine says
Can you use metal loaf tin pans instead of glass bowls?
alexandra says
Yes! Make 1.5 times the recipe if so.
Anna says
I made this for the first time yesterday and the loaves turned out perfectly! My bread life has improved for the better for sure!!!
alexandra says
Yay! So happy to hear this 🙂 🙂 🙂
Meghan says
Oh my!! This is amazing bread! And so much easier than a lot of recipes. Soft, tender inside with a crispy crust. Add a little butter, and it doesn’t get much better than that. I used one of the pyrex bowls and a bread loaf pan. Both turned out perfect. My kids loved the bread too. I followed recipe exactly and will definitely make it again and again!! Thank you!
alexandra says
Yay!! So happy to hear this!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Sharon says
This bread is the BEST!!! This will be my go-to bread recipe from now on! Makes me think of ciabatta bread just a little….chewy crust and wonderful soft texture inside. So quick and easy-I made it after work tonight! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this!
Stardust says
I just mixed up my second batch of this dough. Both times that I’ve done it the dough seemed different than what is described- less sticky and shaggy and more dry and cohesive. I added a little extra water to it. The first time it came out delicious regardless, and I am sure today’s loaf will be good as well, but could I be measuring wrong or something? I am using King Arthur Four- do textures differ, and could KAF require more moisture? or does it even really matter? I am using a Le Crueset with a lid to bake it as one loaf, btw, which worked great the first time.
alexandra says
Hi Stardust, are you using a scale to measure/weigh the flour? I can’t recommend one enough: I have this one. It costs $13 and is worth every penny.
KAF is what I use most often. Yes, using different flours make a difference, but I think if you start using a scale to weigh the flour, you’ll see a difference in your results immediately. If you are not up for buying a scale, I would use a lighter hand when you measure the flour.
Great to know re Le Creuset vessel!
Cathy says
I have this many times. It will also do well in an enameled cast iron pan for one large loaf or two, one pound loaf pans. I like to brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds over it. I think everything season in would be great too.
Melanie says
I wish I was lying when I said I have tried to make this recipe 6 times. All failures. I have an issue right from the very outset where there doesnt seem to be enough water to “absorb” the flour. The consistency of my dough once the flour and yeast mix have been combined looks nothing like the photo above (its not sticky at all- its flakey and with lots of excess flour. I am measuring very scant cups of flour. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what is possibly going wrong?
alexandra says
Hi Melanie,
It sounds as though you need to use even scanter cups. 10 times out of 10, the troubles people have in regard to getting the dough the right consistency, disappear when they start using a scale. If you have any interest in baking bread regularly, I can’t recommend investing in a scale enough. This one costs $13. Otherwise, I would see start with 3 cups of flour and see how the consistency looks there, then add more flour slowly until it looks like the photos.
Dee says
I make this often. I use only half the recipe. It is just the right size for the two of us. Hot bread with soup and enough for toast the next day.
Burgiesgirl says
Does anything about the baking method, time, or temperature change if you use half whole wheat/half white flour?
alexandra says
Nope, should be the same.
Colette says
thanks for this recipe. I made it this weekend, substituting whey for the water. It was so easy, and so moist. We’ll be making it again!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Colette! I love using whey for the water.
Edwina says
Just made this in rural Australia with a local-ish organic stone-milled spelt flour. Turned out absolutely fantastically. I am so impressed. Made dinner rolls in teacups for my kids and then a bigger loaf with the other half of the mix. This will be our go-to camping recipe – I listened to the Living Homegrown podcast you did about taking pre-made bags of ingredients and adding water when you get there. Such a good idea. I’ve also ordered a sample of your book on the Kindle to see what other goodies are inside.
Thanks for the recipe!
Tara says
This has become my family’s go-to bread recipe. I don’t even buy store bread anymore. Perfect recipe!
Terry Halsted says
I am 70 + 1 and have been making bread since I was a teen and this is one of the best artisan breads ever and has become the favorite with family and friends! It was fun to make and super easy. I did rub the top and bottom with butter when still warm which made the crust nice and chewey. Thanks so much for passing this recipe along!
Suzanne says
Today is sunny, the birds are singing and my 6 types of arthritis are manageable SO what better day to try a new recipe? I followed instructions to the letter and used a digital thermometer to check temp for 205*F then removed from oven. EXCELLENT RESULTS!! Thank you so much! Someone posted your site on Facebook and this is the result. I paid close attention to the multiple use of the word “sticky” and adapted a few techniques:
1. I put 2tsp of oil in the mixing bowl AFTER the dough/sponge was mixed. (This is a trick my mom used.) I then applied a silicone spatula around the edges to let oil go under the dough. Then, hold onto the bowl and “swirl” the fowl around until coated with oil. This will stop dough from sticking to bowl, is easier to roll into baking dish and easier to clean.
2. I wore a clear plastic glove (dollar store, 50 in a bag) to lift/turn/flip/punch the dough.
3. I placed a strip of parchment in the baking dish under to dough for the second rise. Easier to lift out of the oiled baking dish.
4. I used a 1.6 litre Corningwear rectangular casserole dish and two Corningwear handled soup bowls. Next time I’ll use two bread loaf pans.
Thank so very much. Hubby is THRILLED! Any suggestions on using this dough for CINNAMON BUNS?
Suzanne in Kelowna, BC, Canada
Suzanne says
OOPS!! Should read BOWL not FOWL😖
cintia moraes says
I loved this recipe
<3
Joanne says
We always rent a house at the beach on the Jersey shore every summer. I adore our combination of eating out on the town as well as planning and cooking simple summer meals with local in season produce. Now that our kids are older they pick things for me to cook and they all want this bread! Hubby too! It looks like a winner!
Liz Bracken says
Easiest and best bread I have made. Sharing this recipe with everyone I know. Many thanks
Stardust says
has anyone tried baking this in a loaf pan? if so, how did it go?
Johnni Parmentier says
Any suggestion for high altitude baking?
Kate Vishnyakov says
This bread recipe became my favorite to make. It always comes out great and lasts a while. I use Le Creuset pans or polish pottery for baking.
Kelly G. says
This made a lovely loaf. I used a 2 quart bowl to make one large loaf and added sesame seeds on top for the 2nd rise. My husband tasted it and said, Oh my god, it’s like candy!”, and no I didn’t add extra sugar. Next time, I’ll try Suzanne’s plastic glove and parchment paper tips.
Suzanne says
Hey there Kelly G! I’m baking two loaves tomorrow in Corningware white casserole dishes. One will be with sesame seeds (great idea! Thanks!) and the other will be raisins and loads of cinnamon.
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Kelly!
Gina says
I have made this recipe a number of times and it always turns out perfectly. I use 1.5 times the recipe to make 2 loaves in loaf pans (my husband likes to have the bread in loaf pans because all the slices are the same size that way). Today I am going to make it and use half whole wheat flour and we’ll see how it turns out. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, it has become my favorite bread recipe.