Nothing to add on the Bittman recipe, but wanted to make a plug for the artisan-bread-in-5-minutes/day. It's awesome and so, so easy. I make the dough in a food-safe lidded bucket and back on a pizza stone, sometimes as a boule, sometimes as rolls or a baguette shape. Perfect every time.

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/22/the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-launched-back-to-basics-updated

Make sure it's not a terry cloth kind of towel-- it's shouldn't be fluffy. But yes, it's otherwise foolproof. And so yummy!

I use the Saran wrap that I put over the bowl for this step, after getting fed up with doughy towels. Works just as wel. Make sure you flour the top of the dough.

Thanks everyone! The bread was very tasty (as evidenced by the fact thay there is none left). Problem solved, I will skip the towel step.

As you've discovered, it's a VERY forgiving recipe. I just skip the towel step.

The no knead bread I do uses no towel, and I find had been unspeakably forgiving to me for years (and years) now. I've changed more than half of the flour to whole grain, forgotten the bowl rising overnight, made it the day of, and 10 days later. The dough has been too wet and too dry, depending on how much Flour and other stuff I put in. Used atta in a pinch, used instant yeast vs. traditional yeast. Sometimes I bake with steam, sometimes not. When our oven broke, I made it in my small convection oven. I've even had to bake it on the BBQ.

There is NOTHING you can do to this recipe that won't allow you to end up with a tasty loaf of bread. Maybe not a perfect crumb Fresh Loaf Worthy loaf, but a loaf that makes everyone ooh like you spent a week of your life personally kneading the loaf.


http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/five-minutes-a-day-for-fresh-baked-bread-zmaz08djzgoe.aspx#axzz3FsMEflDS

I love me some Bittman (owning more of his cookbooks than anyone reasonably should), but I accidentally came upon the recipe above when I bought the magazine for another reason. I can't even explain how many times I've made it. They have an excellent whole grain version as well (with only slightly more hassle and ingredients).

you need to make sure you use lots of flour

Thanks. Just took the bread out of the oven. Turned out amazing! Just have to figure out how to get more dough off the towel

I haven't made it in years, so I'm not sure how to answer your question. But I did want to suggest watching the video that Bittman has with the NYTimes article. I found that helpful when I was making it. Perhaps that will help you figure out how to adjust.

I realize this nyt recipe is supposed to be idiot proof. Except of course on my hands. I "made" yesterday evening. But when I tried the towel step I failed horribly. Half my dough stuck to the towel. Any tricks? More flour on the towel? I noticed when I was trying to pick off all dough off the towel that that adding more water made it leas sticky and it rolled off. So do I need more water in the towel? For what it is worth, I used a non terry cloth kitchen towel per the recipe

I am tempted to try this again, but not if I am going to less a towel on the process