Say hello to your new favorite weeknight hero: No-Knead Rosemary Lemon Bread! This method is revolutionary - it takes patience, not effort. You mix a few simple ingredients, let time do the heavy lifting and end with a loaf that boasts incredible, craggy, shatteringly crisp crust and an airy, open crumb that rivals any artisanal bakery. Elevated with the bright zest of lemon and the woodsy, piney aroma of fresh rosemary. Perfect for sopping up soup, pairing with cheese, or just devouring straight from the cooling rack!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (15 oz./475 g) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp instant yeast

1 3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp chopped lemon zest

1 5/8 cups (13 fl oz/410 ml) water

Cornmeal as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, rosemary and zest. Add the water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbled, 12 to 18 hours. 

2. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. 

3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton flour sack towel, not Terry cloth, with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let it rise for about 2 hours. 

4. At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2 3/4-quart (2.75 l) bread pot or Dutch oven in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). 

5. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that's okay. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. If desired, using a very sharp knife, cut three shallow parallel slits in the top of the dough. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, about 10-15 minutes more. 

6. Remove from oven. The bread should easily slide out onto a cooling rack. Makes one 1 1/2-lb loaf.