after some fiddling about with different styles, i have finally arrived at a technique that is cross-pollinated from jim lahey’s no-knead bread , artisan bread in five minutes a day , and some traditional sourdough techniques, such as using a proofing basket, combined with a desire to do as little actual work as possible and a thrifty need to use existing equipment only.

firstly, i use the artisan bread basic boule recipe.
6.5 cups flour
1.5 TBLSP salt (i use only 1)
1.5 TBSLP yeast
3 cups tepid water

that’s it.
mix this in your stand mixer or by hand.
i cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and let it sit for two hours.
then i place the whole thing in the fridge and leave it alone.

when i want to make bread, i tear off a chunk of the chilled dough, quickly shape it (cloak it, dust it with flour and slash a few lines in it), then rest it on a piece of baking paper inside a colander.
the colander keeps the bread shaped and the parchment paper comes in verrrrrrrry handy in a little while, as you will see.

after 20 minutes…or so….i pre-heat my oven and the lidded cooking pot to 210C.
if you have a lovely big oven, you can go to 230C, but i’m working in a grotty toaster oven for now and at 230C everything will just char.

when the timer goes off, remove pot from oven, remove lid from pot and grip the sides of the baking paper to transport and gently lower your boule into the ragingly hot pot.
clap on the lid, return to oven and set for 20 minutes (or so, depending on the size of the boule).

when the timer goes off, remove the lid and reset for 20 minutes (or so, depending on the size of the boule) for the final browning and baking.
turn boule out onto a rack to cool.

at this stage you’ll have a lovely crispy crust artisanal bread PLUS some more dough in the fridge for next time.

here is this morning’s baking…dough…first proof….the baking pot in the toaster oven that needs a cleaning….the final loaf: