No-Knead Oatmeal-Millet Peasant Bread

Your guests will not believe you made this bread yourself! The crust is bakery-perfect and the crumb is moist and chewy. Rather than baking it in a loaf pan or on a pizza stone, this recipe uses a Dutch oven or other oven-proof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 140 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• ¼ cup millet
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal, or more as needed
• ⅔ cup warm water (98 to 115 degrees F/37 to 46 degrees C)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine boiling water, oats, and millet in a large bowl. Let cool to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C), about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Dissolve yeast and salt in warm water in a small bowl. Let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir into the oat-millet mixture. Add 2 3/4 cups flour; stir until dough forms a loose ball. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Step 3

Dust a cutting board with 1 tablespoon flour. Turn the dough out onto the board. Tuck in the edges gradually to shape dough into a boule (rustic, French-style ball) without kneading. Cover with a clean dish towel; let rise until nearly doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Place a lidded Dutch oven inside.

Step 5

Make 3 slashes on top of the dough boule using a serrated knife.

Step 6

Remove hot Dutch oven from the oven carefully. Uncover; sprinkle cornmeal over the bottom and place boule inside; cover with the lid. Reduce oven heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven for 28 minutes. Remove the lid and reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Continue baking until top is golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes more. Carefully lift loaf out of pan onto a work surface and gently tap bottom of loaf; if it sounds hollow, bread is done. Let cool for at least 1 hour on a wire rack.