cover image My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method

My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method

Jim Lahey, with Rick Flaste. . Norton, $29.99 (222pp) ISBN 978-0-393-06630-2

While the subtitle sounds like a late-night television infomercial, Lahey's quick bread-in-a-pot method garnered attention from foodies and critics after appearing in Mark Bittman's New York Times article. With co-writer Flaste, founding editor of the New York Times 's dining section, Lahey, founder of the Sullivan Street Bakery and the New York pizzeria Co., presents his touted no-knead bread recipe, along with a collection of recipes building on the method. With only five minutes of labor (along with 12–18 hours of waiting/rising time), the authors promise the results of artisanal Italian-inspired bread. Lahey's down-to-earth tone and straightforward technique, along with instructional photographs lead home bakers through chapters including “Specialties of the House,” with such recipes as coconut-chocolate bread and pancetta bread; “Beyond Water,” breads made with carrot or apple juices and peanut butter; and “Pizzas and Foccacias,” featuring less-than-traditional toppings such as celery root, cauliflower and fennel pizzas. Additional sections on building sandwiches and what to do with stale bread—everything from soup to dessert—round out this innovative title. (Oct.)