NO-KNEAD CHEESE BREAD

Whenever we go to visit my in-laws just north of Chicago, we always make a trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin, just to go to the Mars Cheese Castle. It’s this wonderfully tacky, fake castle just off the highway that sells everything from cheese curds to authentic Danish Kringles. My husband is addicted to their cheddar cheese bread and has been known to show up back at his parents house with the bag empty.

I’ve made my own version, upping the sophistication a bit with some Gruyère, but it’s just as irresistible as the Mars’ version. I’m not the first to come up with this “no-knead” technique, but it’s a great time saver.

Don’t worry about how long this bread will last before it gets stale. It will be gobbled up so quickly, you’ll never have the chance to find out.

​INGREDIENTS

3 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese, use large grate
½ cup sliced and pitted black olives (optional)
½ cup prosciutto, cubed into ¼” pieces (or 1 cup if you don’t use olives)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil

​SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Dutch oven Le Creuset #22, which is 2.75 quarts. It makes a nice boule shape. You can use a bigger Dutch oven but the loaf will be flatter.​

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, combine yeast and warm water. Stir to dissolve yeast, then set aside for ten minutes to bloom.​

In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, 2 cups Gruyère cheese (reserving remaining ½ cup for topping), the prosciutto, black olives, and salt. Stir well.

Add the yeast/warm water mixture and stir with a silicone spatula until the dough comes together.

Using the spatula, fold the dough around the edges of the bowl toward the center, rotating the bowl each time and folding a total of 8 times. Cover with a kitchen towel and let proof in a warm place for 60 minutes, or until almost doubled in size.

Using the spatula, fold the dough toward the center again 8 more times. Cover with the towel and let proof for and additional 30 minutes.

WARM THE DUTCH OVEN: Place the Dutch oven and lid in the oven, and preheat to 450˚F for 30 minutes.

After the second rise, fold the edges of the dough towards the center 8 times, then flip over the dough and transfer to a piece of parchment paper.

Brush the top of the dough with the olive oil, so the cheese will stick. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top. Using a sharp knife, razor, or lame, score the bread. That will allow the steam to escape. You can make an “X,” or I like to cut a half circle on an angle.

Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven (it will be very hot!) and use the parchment to lift the bread into the pot.

Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 20 more minutes, until the bread is golden brown.

Lift the parchment paper, sliding the bread out of the pot and onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment paper and let the bread cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing.

Just try not to eat all at once. I dare you.