this simple master recipe eliminates hands-on kneading and can be shaped into everything from french baguettes to round dinner rolls.

the biggest surprise is that dough kneaded in a food processor worked just as well as mixing by hand or in a standing mixer. it also works the fastest

master recipe for basic bread

yields 2, 12-oz rounds or loaves, or 12 rolls

bread recipes don’t get more basic than this. the 3 1/2-cup flour recipe makes dough that is easily kneaded in a food processor with a 2-quart workbowl. to make a larger quantity, make consecutive batches rather than doubling or tripling the recipe.

1 package dry-active yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees)
3 1/2 cups bread or all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup water, room temperature
cornmeal for pizza paddle surface

1. sprinkle yeast over warm water; let stand until yeast dissolves and starts to swell, about 5 minutes. meanwhile, mix flour and salt in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. add cold water to yeast mixture, and with machine running gradually pour this liquid through feeder tube into dry ingredients; process until a rough ball forms. if dough is too wet to form a ball, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to process until dough is smooth and elastic, about 35 seconds.
   
   
2. turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand for a few seconds to insure that dough is satiny smooth. form dough into a round and place in a very lightly oiled bowl. rub dough top around bowl to lightly coat with oil. turn dough right side up in bowl. cover with a damp cloth and place in 70-degree draft-free environment until dough doubles in size, 2 to 3 hours.
   
   
3.  punch dough down and turn onto work surface. follow specific instructions to shape bread. cover dough shapes with a lightly floured dish towel and, again, place in a 70-degree draft-free environment until they have almost doubled in size. follow slashing instructions under specific shape.
   
   
4. place heavy-duty, lipless cookie sheets, or arrange quarry tiles, in oven and heat to 450 degrees. (if oven is gas, place a heavy-duty, oven-safe skillet or roasting pan on oven floor.) slide risen and slashed dough shapes from peel onto chosen surface. carefully toss 3/4 cup water onto oven floor or into pan, and close oven door. spritz dough 2 or 3 times during the first half of baking. bake until crust in brown and interior registers 190 to 200 degrees, about 30 minutes for loaves and about 15 minutes for rolls. cool breads on a wire rack. (or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for 2 days; reheat in 350-degree oven 10 to 15 minutes. bread can also be wrapped in plastic and frozen; reheat in 300-degree oven 20 to 30 minutes.)