Easy overnight spelt rye bread

I am the first to admit that when it comes to making bread I look for the easiest options. I use a bread machine to do all the hard work. I guess you could say I am not a kneady kinda girl!

This recipe from occasionally eggs is the kind of bread recipe I love. It uses an easy, no knead method that requires no skill, just plenty of time to allow the natural yeasts in the flours to do their own thing.
The end result is a springy, slightly chewy loaf that is great for sandwiches and toast.

The first rise is in the mixing bowl and will take 12 hours or more. You could even leave it in the fridge for a day or so, it will still rise but slower.
For the second rise the dough is scrapped onto baking parchment. As the dough is still quite soft it will look a bit flat and deflated but that’s fine, you can reshape it when you put it in the pan to cook.
I used a deep, 2.4 litre stainless steel casserole dish. Be warned though, as the pan is preheated to quite a high temperature before baking the bread, it could result in some staining so don’t use your favorite, shiny new pan otherwise all the time and effort saved on kneading may well be spent on scrubbing the pan clean afterwards.

EASY OVERNIGHT SPELT RYE BREAD
Makes 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

300 g spelt flour
270 g whole grain rye flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon dry yeast
500 ml room temperature water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in the water until a shaggy looking dough forms. Cover with a plate or beeswax wrap and set on the counter to rest overnight, or for about 12 hours.

Once the dough has rested, it should have risen significantly and be quite bubbly. It will be soft. Use a spatula or your hands to stretch and fold it a few times in the bowl before placing onto a large square of parchment paper. Sprinkle flour over it and cover with a towel.

Let the dough rise for another 30-60 minutes. Place a Dutch oven or other high-heat safe covered dish (e.g. pyrex) into the oven and heat to 230°C (450°F).

Once the oven is hot, remove the dish and carefully lower the paper with the dough into the hot pot.

Bake the bread, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and reduce the heat to 200°C (400°F) and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden. A darker crust will have a deeper flavour, so go by your personal preference.

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Slicing it while it’s still hot will result in an unpleasant gummy texture. Store in a sealed container or tea towel for 3-5 days at room temperature.