My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make
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This is the no-knead bread recipe my mother has been baking for 45 years. Start to finish, it can be ready in three hours. It bakes in well-buttered Pyrex bowls — no need to preheat a baking vessel for this recipe — and it emerges golden and crisp with a soft, tender crumb. 🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
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.
The Magic of the Peasant Bread
So what, you probably are wondering, makes this bread so special when there are so many wonderful homemade 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 unlike the others, this is a no-knead bread that can be started at 4:00 pm and turned out onto the dinner table at 7:00 pm. 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. This is not artisan bread, nor is it 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.”
Peasant Bread Variations
Once you master the peasant bread, you can make any bread your heart desires — this simple no-knead bread recipe is the foundation of many of the other bread recipes on this site, namely this hugely popular overnight refrigerator focaccia and this simple homemade pizza dough. It’s even the inspiration behind this simple pita bread recipe and these no-knead dinner rolls.
The below post is organized as follows:
- How to Make Peasant Bread, Step by Step
- The Best Way to Store Bread
- Peasant Bread Dinner Rolls
- Peasant Bread Sandwich Bread
- How to Add Seeds and Nuts to Bread Dough
- How to Make Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
- How to Coat the Loaves in Seeds
- How to use Whole Wheat Flour
- How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven
Many more variations on the peasant bread can be found in my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs:
Bread Toast Crumbs
Love the peasant bread? There’s now a book filled with 40 simple bread recipes plus 70 recipes to use up every crumb of every loaf you bake.
How to Make Peasant Bread, Step by Step
First: You need yeast.
This is the yeast I buy exclusively: SAF Instant Yeast. Instant yeast can be whisked into the flour directly without any blooming or proofing. If you want to stick to active-dry yeast, there are instructions in the recipe notes on how to do so. Red Star yeast is great.
Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add lukewarm water.
Mix until you have a sticky dough ball. Let it rise for 1.5 to 2 hours…
… or until it looks like this:
Punch down the dough using two forks.
Then split the dough down the middle again using the two forks.
Because this is a very wet dough, it 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.
Butter the bowls well; then transfer half of the dough to each prepared bow.
Let the dough rise again until it crowns the rim of the bowl, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the bowls to the oven to bake:
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 and sandwiches of all kinds.
The Best Way to Store Bread
If you want to store the bread at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, I think the best method is in a ziplock bag. I’ve tried other eco-friendly options, but nothing seems to keep bread freshest — the crumb the softest — better than a ziplock bag. You can re-use the bags again and again.
If you intend to keep the bread for longer, I would freeze it. I often slice bread as soon as it cools completely, transfer the slices to a ziplock bag, then freeze. This way, I know the bread was frozen at its freshest.
A ziplock bag will not prevent the crust of bread from turning soft, which is why I suggest always reheating day-old bread. I use a toaster at breakfast for slices of bread, and I reheat half or quarter loaves in the oven at 350ºF for 15 to 20 minutes when serving for dinner.
Bread revives so beautifully in the oven or toaster.
No-Knead Dinner Rolls
To use the peasant bread dough to make rolls, simply divide the dough into smaller portions and place in a buttered muffin tin as in these No-Knead Thyme Dinner Rolls (pictured below). This recipe for no-knead buttermilk pull-apart rolls is also based on the peasant bread recipe.
No-Knead Sandwich Bread
To make sandwich bread, multiply the recipe below by 1.5 and bake the bread in two buttered 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pans. Made with half all-purpose flour and half King Arthur Sprouted Wheat Flour (no longer available unfortunately), these seed-coated sandwich loaves (pictured below) have a soft and light crumb.
How to Add Nuts and Seeds to Bread Dough
To add seeds and nuts (or dried fruit and cheese), simply stir them into the dry ingredients. This recipe for Quinoa-and-Flax Toasting Bread will offer guidance on how much to add.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
Making gluten-free peasant bread (pictured below) isn’t as simple as swapping in gluten-free flour for wheat flour. But the process is still relatively simple — in fact, because there’s only one rise, many people find the gluten-free peasant bread recipe to be even simpler than the original. Find the recipe here: Gluten-Free Peasant Bread
How to Coat the Loaves in Seeds
To coat the peasant bread in seeds, as pictured below, simply coat the bowls with everything bagel seasoning or with dukkah or sesame seeds or whatever seed mix you wish. The seed-coated loaves look so beautiful, and it’s amazing how much the flavor of the coating permeates the loaves. Find the recipe here: Everything Bagel Seasoning Peasant Bread
How to Use Whole Wheat Flour
To use whole wheat flour in the peasant bread, simply replace as much as 50% of the all-purpose flour with your favorite whole wheat flour: I’ve been loving the Cairnsprings Mill Trailblazer stone-milled flour. With the Trailblazer, I can use up to 75% of it in the peasant bread, and it yields a beautiful, chewy texture as well as a lovely flavor and aroma.
When using whole wheat flour, you may have to use more or less water — there is no rule as to how much more or less, and it will take some trial and error to get right because all flours absorb water differently. When I use the Trailblazer flour, for example, I reduce the water by at least 50 grams.
If you’d like to learn more about whole wheat flour and stone-milled flours, read this: Easy Sourdough Bread (Whole Wheat-ish)
How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven
If you’re looking for more of a crackling crusted boule (characteristic of a loaf of sourdough bread) as opposed to the buttery crispness of the peasant bread, you can bake the peasant bread dough in a preheated Dutch oven. I love my Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven which I’ve been using for years! The Lodge is a great value at around $49, but if you like the idea of making an oblong-shaped peasant loaf, I can’t recommend the Challenger Bread Pan enough, which costs $299. The placement of the handles makes for easy removal and closure of the lid, and it creates beautiful, crusty loaves every time.
There are detailed instructions below the recipe in the notes section, but one thing to keep in mind before you begin is dough hydration. The peasant bread is a very high-hydration dough, meaning there is a lot of water relative to flour. Because baking the peasant bread in a Dutch oven will require some handling of the dough — to shape it into a round and to create some tension — you may want to reduce the water from the start. Consider holding back 20-30 grams of water to make the process more manageable for you.
My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make
- Total Time: 2 hours 27 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves
Description
Notes:
The bread:
This is a sticky, no-knead dough, so, some sort of baking vessel, such as pyrex bowls (you need two 1-qt bowls) or ramekins for mini loaves is required to bake this bread. See notes below the recipe for sources. 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.
Peasant Bread Fans! There is 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 recipes for using up the many loaves you will bake. Learn more about the book here or buy it here.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (512 g) unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
- 2 cups (454 g) lukewarm water (made by mixing 1.5 cups cold water with 0.5 cup boiling water)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast, I love SAF Instant Yeast, see notes below
- room temperature butter, about 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Mixing the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast (I love SAF Instant Yeast). Add the water. Mix until the flour is absorbed. (If you are using active dry yeast, see notes below.)
- Let it rise. 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 1-qt or 1.5-qt oven-safe bowls (see notes below) 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 pull the dough toward the center (see video below for guidance). 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. Some people like to use flexible, plastic dough scrapers for this step.
- Let the dough rise again 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 it. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and bake 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
- The bowls: The cheapest, most widely available 1-qt bowl is the Pyrex 322. Update: These bowls are becoming harder to find and more expensive. As a result, I’m suggesting this cheaper option: the Pyrex 3-piece set. You can split the dough in half as always (see recipe) and bake half in the 1-quart bowl and half in the 1.5 quart bowl. The loaves will not be the same shape, but they will be delicious nonetheless.
- 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. The beauty of instant yeast is that there is no need to “proof” it — you can add the yeast directly to the flour. I never use active-dry yeast anymore.
- If you have active-dry yeast on hand and want to use it, here’s how: 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.
- Troubleshooting: You can find step-by-step video instruction here.
- 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. 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.
- The single most important step you can take to make this bread truly foolproof is to invest in a digital scale. This onecosts under $10. If you are not measuring by weight, do this: 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 of this recipes that’s less wordy: Peasant Bread Recipe, Simplified
- How to Bake the Peasant Bread in a Dutch Oven: Preheat a Dutch Oven for 45 minutes at 450ºF. Dust a clean work surface with flour. After the first rise, turn the dough out onto the floured surface and shape it into a ball: I like to fold it envelope style from top to bottom, then side to side; then I flip it over and use the pinkie edges of my hands to pinch the dough underneath and create some tension. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Let rest for 20 minutes. If you feel your dough is spreading too much you can lift up the sheet of parchment paper, dough and all, and place it in a bowl of a similar size. After the 20 minutes, transfer the dough, parchment paper and all to the Dutch oven. Carefully cover it. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake 15 minutes more.
- To bake the peasant bread in a loaf pan: If you are using an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan or a 9×5-inch loaf pan, you can bake 3/4 of the dough in it; bake off the rest of the dough in ramekins or other small vessels … the mini loaves are so cute. You can also make 1.5x the recipe, and bake the bread in 2 loaf pans. If you have a large loaf pan, such as a 10×6-inch loaf pan, you can bake off the entire batch of dough in it. For loaf pans, bake at 375ºF for 45 minutes.
- How to Bake at Hight Altitude:
- First try the original recipe as written (preferably with a scale). You may not need to make any adjustments. One commenter, who lives at 9200 ft finds the original recipe to work just fine as is.
- If the original recipe doesn’t work, try adding a little bit more water because it rises fast and it is so dry: about a quarter cup for every 512 g of flour.
- Try decreasing the yeast to 1.5 teaspoons.
- If your dough is especially gooey, try decreasing the water by 1/4 cup. But, if you aren’t using a scale, my first suggestion would be to buy a scale and weigh the flour, and make the bread once as directed with the 2 cups water and 512 grams flour, etc.
- Punch the dough down twice before transferring it to the buttered Pyrex bowls. In other words, let it rise for 1-1.5 hours, punch it down, let it rise again for about an hour, punch it down, then transfer it to the buttered bowls.
- 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 9×9-inch glass baking dish and one Pyrex bowl or just butter one large 9×13-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.
- #3. Thyme Dinner Rolls
- #4 Gluten-free
- #5. Everything Bagel Seasoning Bread. Simply coat the buttered bowls with Everything Bagel Seasoning.
- #6: Whole Wheat Peasant Bread. Use as much as 50% whole wheat flour.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
6,615 Comments on “My Mother’s Peasant Bread: The Best Easiest Bread You Will Ever Make”
Ali, I made this into sandwich bread form and it was divine! It made the most wonderful grilled cheese sandwiches, and I dried out the leftover pieces and turned them into the best croutons. Sooo good, thank you!
So great to hear this, Kelli! Couldn’t agree more about this bread and grilled cheese … the best 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
When making this in a loaf pan, should we coat with oil (like in your instagram reel) or bake as directed here? I’m seeing both and unsure what to do! Thanks!!
I started using this recipe at the beginning of the pandemic, because I wanted to be able to give bread to friends & neighbours and assure them that I hadn’t handled the dough. Now I imagine I’ll make this recipe for the rest of my life, thank you!
I’ve started adding minced garlic, shredded cheese, and diced jalepeño peppers and there’s no going back, haha.
One question: If I don’t divide the dough after the first rise, intending to bake it as one loaf, how long should I bake it for? Do the temperatures and/or times change since the loaf is much bigger?
Great to hear, Cheralyn! A few thoughts: you can bake this entire recipe in a 10×5-inch pan or something similar, but it’s too much dough for a standard 8.5×4.5-inch pan… it’s too much dough. I wrote a recipe for a single loaf pan, which you can find here: https://cupofjo.com/2022/02/02/found-easy-same-day-peasant-bread-recipe/ It’s essentially 3/4 the recipe.
With a whole loaf pan loaf, I like to bake it at 375ºF for 45 minutes.
Hi! I do like to coat the dough with a tablespoon of olive oil. Here’s a recipe for a single loaf: https://cupofjo.com/2022/02/02/found-easy-same-day-peasant-bread-recipe/
Absolutely delicious! And easy? Wow. I use a 2 qt corningware dish and 1 5x the recipe. It is perfect every single time.
That should read 1.5
Got it!
Great to hear, Katy 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing!
This is a great recipe that my grandmother shared with me and showed me step by step how to make. When she makes it, it comes out absolutely perfect every time. I have made is several times, and for whatever reason every single time it seems to colapse and when it cools and we finally cut into it, it’s not fluffy like when my grandmother makes it, rather is kind of dense.
I have read the recipe over many times to figure out if I’m doing something wrong but cannot find anything. Any suggestions for me?
Hi Cherokee! Questions:
Are you using a scale to measure?
How long are you letting each rise go?
What type of flour are you using?
What type of yeast?
Is the dough crowning the rim of the bowl before you place it in the oven?
It sounds as though you might need to bake it longer. Or let it cool longer before cutting it.
Your peasant bread is awesome.It’s the only bread I make. I’ve increased recipe to 1.5 because I make 3 bowl loaves at a time. I want to try the 1.5 recipe in two 5 x 9 loaf pans to make a larger loaf..What do you think? If possible, how do I adjust the baking time? Also should I had increased the yeast also.. I left it the same for the 1.5 recipe and with the 3 one quart bowls.. Thanks soooo much for your help..
Great to hear all of this, Sandra!
For 1.5 x the recipe for two loaf pans, you can honestly use 2 teaspoons of yeast, and it will be just fine — this time of year especially. I like to bake the loaf pans loaves for 45 minutes at 375ºF.
Let me know if there is anything else!
WOW WOW WOW THIS bread recipe is amazing. If u have not try this recipe you should ..or you’ll be missing out..😃👍
Great to hear, Mimi 🙂 🙂 🙂
Love it. So easy and delicious. Do you have nutritional info? Thanks. NTL
I bake two round loaves every two weeks! I especially love it toasted. I have eaten at least one slice a day with coffee for breakfast for the last 6 months. It is amazing! I’ve tried all the variations that you have listed. The thyme dinner roll recipe made into two rounds loaves is very tasty dipped in olive oil. Thanks for this recipe!
So nice to hear this, Sarah 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing.
Love this recipe. I added oregano, herbs de Provence and Parmesan. So good! It’s always bouncy and tasty. I made it in a enamel loaf tin.
Great to hear, Jennifer! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
Outside of my bread machine, I have never baked a loaf of bread in my life, so I was nervous about trying it. I was very sceptical during the process, as the dough is VERY sticky!
This was easily the BEST bread I’ve ever tasted. The crust is perfectly crunchy, and the inside is so soft! I don’t think I’ll ever buy a loaf of bread ever again. The added bonus is having your house smell amazing for hours!
I will note that I used bread machine yeast, which can be interchanged with instant yeast 1:1 with no issues.
Thank you for this recipe, it’s perfect!
I should also note I baked this in a single loaf tin, and it was perfect!
So wonderful to hear all of this, Lori! Thank you so much for writing and sharing your experience — it’s so encouraging to others who may find bread baking intimidating. Happy baking! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I believe some years ago, Budget Bytes featured one of your recipes, and I came over here to check things out. I ran across this bread recipe, and I immediately bought some Pyrex bowls. In all that time, I never did make the bread.
Recently, I sold my house and got rid of a lot of things, b/c I travel for work and wanted to be more mobile. I got rid of my Dutch oven, a lot of my kitchen things, but I kept those Pyrex bowls b/c I use them for lots of things.
So, here I am in a furnished rental, and due to not having enough flour on hand, instead of my usual 60% hydration dough for flatbread, I ended up with something around 80-85%. Well, heck. What am I going to do with such a wet dough? I can’t do a no-knead recipe b/c I don’t have a Dutch oven, and none of the cookware in this rental would work, either.
Then somewhere in the back reaches of my mind, I remembered! So, I googled “baking bread in a Pyrex bowl” and your site popped up. I immediately knew it was the right place. So, now I have some bread baking in the oven! I salvaged the dough! And as long as I have an oven, I’ll be able to make bread b/c I will always have my Pyrex bowls with me when I travel.
Oh I love this 🙂 🙂 🙂 Such a happy ending! Thanks so much for writing and sharing. I love how useful those 1-qt pyrex bowls are … I use them for so many things. So great to hear you can bake as you travel.
Will it mess up the recipe if I use oil instead of butter? I am trying to make garlic and herb bread. This is the simplest one I can find. But I only have garlic-infused oil, not butter.
Oil does not provide a nonstick barrier the way butter does. I worry your loaves will stick to the bowls. What are you planning on baking the bread in? One-quart bowls? Or a loaf pan? Let me know!
I plan to make your Peasant bread this weekend..I have a question, Is the Kosher salt mentioned in recipe fine or coarse ground? I want to be sure every ingredient is measured correctly..thank you
Hi Deborah! I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is finer and dissolves more quickly than Morton’s. Honestly, however, either is fine. You can also use fine sea salt, such as that Bailene brand that comes in that blue tube with a whale on it … it’s in many grocery stores. Good luck!
Quick question. Where should the oven rack be placed, in the center or lower?
Either is fine! I typically do center 🙂
I love this recipe!
The third time I made it I didn’t have the right kind of yeast so I used the Fleischmann’s bread machine instant yeast and it came out beautiful, so airy and bubbly and spongy. so I’ve been making it that way ever since . So just a tip for a substitute, it works!
Great to hear, RJ! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this tip. So helpful for others 🙂
Hi. I’ve made this recipe many times and have always enjoyed the results. Have you ever baked this bread in a Pullman pan? I have a large 13X4X4 Pullman pan and I wondering how much I should increase the dough. Thanks in advance.
Hi David! Check out this recipe on Cup of Jo: https://cupofjo.com/2022/02/02/found-easy-same-day-peasant-bread-recipe/ I think it will help you scale it. My guess is maybe 1.5 times this recipe? Doubling might be fine, too.
Thank you! I’ll let you know when I’ve made it.
Hi Ali. I’ve just today made your recipe and used a 13X4X4 Pullman pan. I increased ALL ingredients by 20%. I discovered that that pan accommodates a total dough weight of 1,100-1,200 g. Your recipe above totals 992 g. 1,200 g is 1.209% of 992 g. Increasing by 20% made for even numbers. 🙂
The bread came out perfect!
Here’s a site that provides dough weights for typical Pullman pan sizes.
https://kneadrisebake.com/how-much-dough-do-i-need-for-my-pullman-pan/
I started at 425 and reduced the temp after 15 min. I removed the lid after the total baking time had reached 25 minutes and then continued baking it an additional 20 mins.
We all have loved the bread baked in a WELL buttered Pyrex bowl, not just for the ease of removing the loaf, but for the additional buttery flavor the crust receives. One thing we have done is add a light dusting of Kosher salt to the inside of the buttered bowl. This adds a really nice taste to the crust also.
Because the Pullman pan must be ‘greased’ for any bread, we used lots of butter for that instead of a cooking/baking spray. One warning; use spray for greasing the grooves for the lid. We had butter dripping out of the top of the pan onto the floor of the oven. It smoked quite a bit!
BTW–I purchased your book last April from Amazon. It’s a wonderful book both for the content you present as well as all the great photos that make we want to try every recipe. Whoever published the book seems to have spared no expense in the quality department. I even appreciate the dimensions of the book. Too many cook/baking books are too large to conveniently handle. I made a comment to my nephew today (who now is sharing my passion for making bread) that your book could be comfortably carried around and read anywhere people sit and read. Most all other such books are too cumbersome. Hope this makes sense! (Fell free to remove any of this comment if you think it might confuse your followers!)
Hi David! And apologies for the delay here. Thank you so much for sharing all of these tips and for passing along that website, too. I’m so glad you did some research regarding how to scale up the recipe, because my suggestions would have given you way too much dough. This is so helpful for others who might want to use their 13X4X4 Pullman pan, including me! I have one of those pans, and it’s been ages since I’ve used it, but I love the shape — so fun!
I love the idea of the kosher salt-butter crust in the “bowl” peasant loaves. I am a salt lover, so this would be heaven for me.
And finally, I’m so happy you like my book. It truly means the world. I loved watching the photographer bring the recipes to life, and I was so pleased with how the art department at Clarkson Potter put the recipes and photos together. I’m also glad you like the size, too. I couldn’t agree more about the size of some books — they are just too large, and it makes the user experience less than ideal.
Anyway, I hope summer is treating you well. Thanks again so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Just amazing. Again. Yesterday I put together a batch of the bread (loaves) and forgot about the 1/4 cup of oil until sometime later. So I just threw it in, mixed it with my hands and thought, “It might work or not” and lo and behold the two loaves came out perfectly. This really IS a VERY forgiving recipe and one I make every week. No bought bread for us. Thank you so much, Ali!!!
So nice to hear this, Judi 🙂 🙂 🙂 It is indeed forgiving… I think this is why it is the bread I have made more than any other over the years. Thanks so much for writing!
Hi Alex:
I have 2 more loaves of bread in the oven; can hardly keep up as I enjoy sharing with others. They wouldn’t think I was so smart if they knew how easy this was to make. And I am happy to share if they ask. Just wondering about the buttering of the pans – will the spray type oil work as well? Just wanted to make sure. The buttering seems SO messy (as least with me) and the spray is a breeze. But I did not want to risk loaves that won’t release. Thanks again. LOVE your recipes.
So nice to read all of this, Judi 🙂 🙂 🙂 Non stick spray should work just as well in terms of allowing the dough to release from the bowl/pan. It might not impart quite as delicious a flavor or make the bread quite as golden and crusty, but it will still be effective as a nonstick barrier. Hope that makes sense! Thanks for writing 🙂
Just curious if there is any way to refrigerate the dough to make smaller loaves throughout the week and only make the dough once?
Hi Trina! You can refrigerate this dough for two days. If you omit the sugar, you can refrigerate it for 3 days. I wouldn’t go much longer than that however — the dough loses steam and won’t spring as well in the oven after too much time in the fridge.
This has become our daily bread. I make two loaves about every third day and save leftover crusts in a freezer bag to make croutons. I’ve tried various combinations of flours, and they have all been delicious. My current favourite is 412 g unbleached flour and 100 g cornmeal. It gives it a lovely texture and crunch.
So nice to read all of this, Nancy! I love cornmeal in bread — love the flavor, color, and crunch! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Amazing!! It was delish!
Great to hear this, Susan 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
This is a great, easy recipe. I’m eating it right now, and I know I will continue to bake this bread. Really delicious!!
Great to hear! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I made the bread twice and it did not rise like yours. Also, it wasnt as loose in the mixture. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Amber
Hi Amber! Apologies for the delay here. Are you using a scale to measure? What type of yeast are you using? Are you making any changes to the recipe in regard to ingredients or method?
Hi! Can you substitute whey for water?
Yes! The bread will brown more quickly, so keep an eye on it. I would bake it at 375 F for 35-40 minutes. Consider reducing the salt as well if your whey contains salt.
Seriously easy and delicious!
Great to hear, Cindy! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi there! I’m wondering if anyone has done this in a single, bigger pan, like a generous Pullman? If so, I’d be appreciative of bake times! 😌
Don’t worry! I found the answer in David’s comprehensive post. Thanks!
Glad you found the answer! Thank goodness for David 🙂
First I love love this recipe! I just bought the book and it’s beautiful! I did not that in the book it’s 2& 1/2 tap of yeast and in this printable recipe it’s 2 tap of yeast. Can you tell me which is correct?
Hi Missy! If you are using the packets of yeast, which are 2.25 teaspoons, just go ahead and use the whole packet. If you are using SAF yeast or other yeast that comes in bulk, you can use two teaspoons for simplicity — either amount, in other words, will work just find here. It’s very forgiving.
Also: thank you! So nice to read this. Means the world you bought the book and are liking it 💕💕💕💕
Baked up beautifully! Crispy, crunchy, buttery all around crust and soft and delicious inside. I will be making this again and again. Will be switching up the flavors as well. Thanks for a great recipe!
Great to hear, Joanna 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
I have been baking bread for a very long time and never–never—have I baked a loaf so delicious and amazing. After my kids were grown and I experienced a back injury, I gave up baking bread. Then, perchance, I came across your website and ordered your book.
I did have a question–I would like to bake the Peasant Bread with Einkorn flour but was concerned that it responds differently than traditional wheat flour because of slower rise times and the way it takes up liquid. Will I need to adjust the amount of water I add?
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe and giving me a new lease on bread baking!
Hi Pam! Apologies for the delay here! First: It’s so nice to read all of this. Thank you so much for making the bread and buying my book… means the world.
Regarding Einkorn flour, it might take a bit of trial and error to get right. This is because einkorn flour generally absorbs water more slowly but also because different varieties of einkorn flour behave differently.
I would advise making the recipe once as written; then adjust with less water the next time around depending on how you like your results.
Are you using a scale to measure? If so, start with around 450 grams of water. Take notes. Then adjust accordingly. I doubt you will need to add more water, but it’s possible.
Thank you again for your kind words 🙂
Oh my goodness! I actually baked the gluten free version of this and I honestly habe never had gluten free bread like this ! I will
Never buy another store loaf , this was so easy it’s literally a no fail ! I followed the recipe and turned out perfectly! My husband actually thought it was a loaf for him ! Thats how well risen it was definitely not like the small undersized gluten free loaves you generally see in a store ! So soft and tender with a beautiful crust ! Thankyou so much , !
Wonderful to read all of this, Richelle! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. What type of gluten-free flour did you use?