Peasant Bread Recipe

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 05/29/22
Peasant Bread

 Kristina Vanni

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Rising time: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 2 loaves

Peasant bread is typically an easy to assemble, no-knead recipe that is an everyday staple. Instead of being formed into ornate shapes or designs, this rustic style bread is baked in rounds that can be sliced into wedges and served with any meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups lukewarm water

  • 1 (0.25-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 4 cups bread flour

  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal

  • Melted butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  2. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Stir until incorporated and dissolved.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  3. Stir in bread flour. 

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  4. Grease a large bowl with a bit of oil. Place dough in bowl and then turn it over to also oil the top. This ensures dough won't dry out while rising. Cover bowl loosely with a thin towel or cloth. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free location for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  5. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and sprinkle each with cornmeal. This will ensure bread releases easily from pans as well as offering a nice texture to the bottom of bread.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  6. Once dough has risen, lightly coat hands with flour and divide dough into 2 parts, gently shaping each into a round loaf—but do not knead.

    Place each loaf in one of the prepared baking pans. At this point, dough will not completely fill pans.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  7. Allow loaves to rise another 45 minutes until almost doubled. During this time, preheat oven to 425 F.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

  8. Before placing loaves in oven, brush tops with melted butter. Bake at 10 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 375 F and bake 20 minutes more.

  9. Remove loaves from pans and place on a wire rack. While loaves are still hot, brush with additional butter.

    Peasant Bread
     Kristina Vanni

Recipe Tips

  • Note this recipe uses bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. It contains more protein which helps with gluten development and results in a perfectly chewy texture and elastic crumb.
  • Always check the expiration date and be sure that the yeast you are using is still active. There's nothing worse than attempting to make homemade bread and discovering your yeast is no longer good. Packets of yeast can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four months or in the freezer for years.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
182 Calories
2g Fat
35g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 182
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 220mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 54mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)