No-Knead Beetroot Bread

Chewy, earthy no-knead bread studded with pink beetroot and a hint of aniseed flavour.

Ingredients:

• 370 grams bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 250 mls warm water
• 1 teaspoon active dried yeast
• 1 small (140 to 160 grams) beetroot, trimmed and grated
• extra flour for shaping and dusting

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

• Bowl, plastic bag, bench scraper
• A 10 inch oval proving basket is ideal but not necessary
• Cast iron casserole dish – at least 4 litres/quarts

Directions:

Measure the flour and salt into a large bowl.

In a small bowl of jug sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and leave it to get frothy – about 10 minutes.

While you’re waiting, trim your beet and grate it coarsely using a box grater. You want the shreds to be big enough to stay defined after baking.

Add the water and yeast to the flour. Using your hand (it’s the easiest way) mix until a shaggy dough forms. It will stick to you. This is fine.

When the dough is mixed-ish scrape any dough stuck to your hand into the bowl so it isn’t wasted. Cover and leave to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This step is important because it helps the flour absorb the water and gluten will start forming on it’s own.

Chuck the grated beets in. Squish them through the dough with your hands until they are distributed through the dough. It will be turning red.

Scrape your hands down again if you need to. The dough shouldn’t be sticking as much anymore. Clean them and moisten one of them slightly with water. You’re going to use this hand to fold the dough. Reach under the dough and grab a a handful of it gently.

Pull it up and over the top of the dough. Then press it gently so it sticks.

Turn the bowl around 90 degrees and repeat. Now go around the bowl twice. You should have done 8 folds altogether. The dough should be forming a tidier round pile.

Reach under and turn the dough over.

Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. It doesn’t have to be exactly 15. Repeat the folding. Remember to moisten your hand so it doesn’t stick. Cover the dough and leave it again. You want to do the folds 1 more time for a total of 3 sets of folds. Do them roughly 10 to 15 minutes apart. This gives the dough time to relax so your folding will do more good each time. You will have noticed that the dough gets much tighter as you fold.

The dough will be getting more soft and elastic each time. The beets will release their juice so the dough will get more and more red.

Now cover the dough and leave it in a warm place until it’s doubled in size. If it’s a bit cold in your kitchen, you can warm a wheat pack and pop it under the dough to keep it warm.

Flour the bench and carefully tip the dough out. A plastic scraper can help a lot. Don’t be rough or deflate the dough.

If you’re using a proving basket dust it thoroughly with flour.

To shape the dough, gently fold the ends into the middle. Then turn the dough and repeat. Try not to catch any lumps of flour in the dough.

Make sure the dough isn’t sticking to the bench. What is on the bottom right now will eventually be the top. When the dough is a neat round turn it over.

Using the outside edge of your hand (and pinky finger), turn the dough gently while pressing inwards to effectively tuck the edges of the ball underneath.

As you go, the ball will get tighter and smooth on top.

Gently put the dough smooth side down in the proving basket. If you need to, pinch the edges together to keep the dough taut.

If you don’t have a proving basket there are two things you can do. You can shape the dough into a round shape and leave it to rest on a piece of baking paper with the good side up. Or you can find a round or oval bowl to help keep the dough shape. Form the dough into a round and rest it in the bowl on a piece of baking paper. For both of these, the dough will go straight into the oven on the piece of baking paper.

Cover and leave the dough to rest in a warm place until almost doubled in size.

When the dough looks almost ready, put the lidded cast iron casserole dish into the oven. Heat the oven to 240C (465F). Put a couple of wire racks on the bench ready. When the dough is ready for baking gently turn it out of the proving basket onto a piece of baking paper. You can slash gently if you wish, but I have found it isn’t necessary for this loaf.

Get the casserole out of the oven and put it on a wire rack. Take the lid off and quickly slide the dough inside. Cover and put it back in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on followed by 15 to 20 minutes with the lid off.

Remove the casserole from the oven and take the loaf out of it. Leave the loaf to cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy fresh or toasted with butter. Or pile it up with delicious things. I can recommend butter and thyme sautéed mushrooms with toasted walnuts and feta. If you’re into that sort of thing…

Cook’s Notes:

• The cast iron casserole will give the absolute best results. If you don’t have one use a similar lidded ovenproof casserole dish or heat the heaviest baking sheet you have in the oven for 10 minutes before sliding the loaf onto it. Bake for 40 minutes.

 – This bread is best the day it is made, it will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or so before staling as the beets keep it soft. If you don’t intend to eat it fairly quickly, freeze the loaf whole or pre-sliced – 

Adapted from How to Make Bread by Emanuel Hadjiandreou.

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