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This recipe hails from the talented and creative vegan chef and cookbook author, Bryanna Clark Grogan, in her "World Vegan Feast". Bryanna Clark Grogran is one of the top creative and knowledgeable vegan cookbook authors around. Travelling the world and partaking of different cuisines, Bryanna recreates many of international favorites into a healthy, delicious plant based delicacy. I think I own all of her cookbooks and each recipe tried and tasted has been a delight. This bread is an every once in a while treat. Can you imagine creating a crusty Artisan loaf without the kneading? Follow along, have some fun and enjoy!

The following ingredients make two (2) loaves:

3/14 cups warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)
1 T dry active baking yeast
3/4 T salt
2 T olive oil (I used 1)
4 cups artisan bread flour (plus more for dusting)
2 1/2 cps whole-wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour (I used the latter)
Now follow along! (First - make sure you have two oven proof bowls with lids in which to bake the bread! I like to use a heavy duty ceramic Dutch oven size pot.)

In a very large bowl mix the dry yeast into the warm water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then add the salt and oil.

Using a very sturdy wooden spoon, stir in the flours, a little at a time, mixing until there are no dry patches.

Here is what dough looks like after mixing with wooden spoon.

 Here is what dough looks like after mixing. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. (You can let it rise for as long as 18 hours!) I also put clean dish towel over the wrapped bowl.

Then after 2 hours of rising, this is what you have - a goopy, goppy looking concoction that the little ones would love to get into! At this point, you can either refrigerate all of the dough or some of it for later use. If going to refrigerate, lightly oil two containers, separate the dough, place in container and cover with lid. OR you can make right away which is what I prefer to do.

To make right away: Once the dough has risen - line 2 bowls that are the size of what you'll bake them in with parchment paper. Sprinkle the parchment with either flour, cornmeal, semonlina or bran. I used cornmeal.

Divide the dough into two sections (You do not have to punch the dough down!) Place on the parchment in the bowl, cover with clean cloth and let it rise for another hour.

 After a half hour, preheat the oven to 475. Put the bowls, casseroles, etc that you'll bake the bread in and heat in the oven at 475 for 30 minutes. Once the bread has risen and the bowls have been heated, carefully lift the dough with the parchment out of its rising bowls and place in the oven in the preheated bowls. Cover each with lidplace the two bowls that you'll use to bake your bread, and heat in that hot oven for 30 minutes.

 

After the bread has risen, gently lift the dough with the parchment paper and place the dough still on the parchment in the hot pot, casserole, etc. Cover with lid or heavy duty foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes till bread is beautifully browned. Remove from pot and cool on a rack. Then enjoy!

  

Here's your final creation. Some lovely artisan bread, fit for a fine restaurant. What I also enjoy, especially if I'm making Italiano, is add to the risen dough some chopped kalamata olives, dried rosemary, and if you like, additional dry Italian seasonings. You can add other spices of your choosing to give the bread your favorite flavors.