No-knead bread

The easiest proper loaf there is: flour, water, salt and a little yeast stirred together, then left alone for most of a day. The method came from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York and reached home kitchens through The New York Times in 2006. What it teaches is the idea at the heart of sourdough: time does the work that kneading would. You also learn to bake in a preheated lidded pot, 30 minutes covered and then uncovered to brown, which is how many sourdough loaves are baked too. A crackling crust on the first try is a fine way to start.