NO KNEAD RAISIN NUT FASTING BREAD

I made 2 loaves, one in my cast iron Dutch oven (that’s the classic recipe) and one on a baking pan for those of you who don’t own a Dutch oven. Both turned out yummy.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely

3/4 cup raisins, apricots, dates, cranberries or whatever dried fruit you like  

2 teaspoons salt 

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast 

1-1/2 cups warm water (holy water if you have it but be sure it’s kept in a separate, clean container)

2 tablespoons honey

Olive oil

Instructions

In large bowl, whisk together flour, nuts, fruit, salt and yeast. Make well in center.

Mix water and honey, pour into well and stir until shaggy dough forms. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 12-24 hours. Mine proofed for 14 hours. Dough doubles with bubbles pushing through.

When ready to bake, put oven safe Dutch oven with lid (5-7 quart) into oven. Preheat to 450 degrees. 

While oven preheats, pour dough onto floured surface. 

Fold sides into center to form as smooth of a ball as you can. Dough is sticky. Work quickly with floured fingers so you don’t deflate. Do not knead.

Put dough onto doubled piece of parchment.

Cut a cross in top to produce a Christian/Artisan look.

Brush olive oil carefully on top.

When oven is ready, pot and lid are very hot. Carefully remove lid with mitts. Using parchment as a sling, put dough into Dutch oven. Put lid on to develop steam.

Bake 20 minutes. Bread may look pale. Remove lid with mitts and bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is 200 or so degrees.

Remove bread, peel off parchment. (Parchment may be a bit scorched). 

Place on rack and cool 20  minutes.

No Dutch oven? 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425.  This lower temperature works better since the bread is not enclosed in a pot. 

Place a cake pan on bottom rack. Pour hot water in. This creates steam for a nice, crusty bread. 

While oven preheats, scrape dough onto floured surface. 

Fold sides into center to form as smooth of a ball as you can. Dough is very sticky. Your goal is to form a dome like shape out of the very soft dough.

Put dough onto doubled piece of parchment lined baking pan.,

Cut a cross in top.

Brush olive oil carefully on top.

Bake 30-35 minutes or so on center rack until bread is golden brown and internal temperature is 200 or so degrees. 

When preheating oven, place cake pan on bottom rack. Fill with very hot water. This makes steam to form a crusty bread. 

Place parchment with dough on baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes on center rack until bread is golden brown and internal temperature is 200 or so degrees. This bakes up darker than Dutch oven bread. 

 

Change it up!

Use any dried fruit and/or nuts.

Keeps at room temperature, covered, 3 days. In refrigerator, up to a week and in freezer, up to 3 months.

 

This is a lighter soup but nourishing and hydrating. Now you can substitute water for the broth, but I believe the broth gives flavor and, of course, nutrients.

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups sliced carrots

 

1 cup diced onion or more to taste

 

1 tablespoon garlic, minced or more to taste

 

6 cups vegetable broth

 

3 cups diced cabbage

 

1 cup green beans

 

2 tablespoons tomato paste or more to taste

 

1 generous teaspoon dried basil or to taste

 

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano or to taste

 

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1 zucchini, diced

 

Parmesan cheese for garnish

 

Instructions

 

Put carrots, onion and garlic in nonstick soup pot. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. Cook over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add everything but zucchini and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, covered, and cook about 20 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in zucchini and heat a few more minutes. Sprinkle each serving generously with Parmesan.