Roasted Garlic & Parmesan No-Knead Bread

1. Take half of the roasted garlic cloves and mash gently in a small bowl. Leave the remaining roasted cloves intact.

2. Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and parmesan in a large bowl. Add the mashed garlic and mix to distribute, then fold in the whole cloves gently.

3. Add the water and stir until blended. Tip: I find that using my hand to mix the dough, though messy, is the best method for mixing. The dough will be pretty sticky and very shaggy. Carefully move to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place for 12, preferably 18 hours. Note that the microwave makes for a fabulous bread proofing box, as it’s free of drafts and fairly warm.

4. When the dough is ready (it will be bubbly on the top), flour a work surface and place dough on it. Lightly flour the dough and fold it over itself once or twice. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

5. Working quickly, shape the dough into a boule, doing your best to form a taut top and pinch the underside seams well to seal. Note that this dough is harder to shape as it is very loose, but the baking process is very forgiving, so don’t stress over it.

6. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour and place the shaped loaf on it. Sprinkle the top with flour and place another cotton towel over it. Let rise for 2 hours; the dough should be double in size.

7. Thirty minutes or more before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 6-8 quart cast iron, enamel or ceramic pot and its lid in the oven. When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven and carefully flip the boule into the pot, with the seam side facing up. Shake the pot once or twice to even out, cover, and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15-30 minutes to achieve a dark, golden crust. Cool on a wire rack.

Note: to roast garlic, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the very top of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast for 30-35 minutes, let cool and use a fork to pluck out the cloves.