This no-knead panini bread is crispy on the outside, soft and airy on the inside. It can take the heat of the panini press for the best ever Caprese Panini. If you don’t have a panini press, make the panini in a grill pan with a handled grill press. This bread makes delicious sandwiches without the press. Use it for my Grilled Asparagus, Ham and Cheese Hot Sandwich.
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I love no-knead bread recipes. This no-knead panini bread makes the best loaf of panini bread. I am in the process of converting all of the bread I make to a no-knead method. All I need is a bowl and a spoon. No bread machine, no stand mixer, no kneading by hand. Best of all, the bread made with this method comes out fantastic. I’ve tried other no-knead bread-making methods and was usually disappointed when the bread came out dry, dense, and crumbly. Not with my envelope fold method.
This envelope fold method is also called the Stretch and Fold method that Peter Rheinhart developed. The bread is light and airy, with lots of air pockets on the inside. The crust is crispy on the outside.
This is the perfect no-knead Panini bread or sandwich bread. This loaf is only 2 inches high. It makes the best panini – sliced in half, stuffed with good eats, and grilled.
Envelope Fold Technique
You have now completed one envelope fold. You will do a total of 3 envelope folds 20 minutes apart
How Do I Make this No-Knead Panini Bread
This bread has only 4 ingredients: water, flour, salt, and yeast. Mix these 4 ingredients together with a spoon in a mixing bowl. The dough will be soft and sticky. Let the flour hydrate for 5 minutes, then put a little vegetable or olive oil on the counter and your hands. Envelope fold the dough as shown in the pictures and the video. Do a total of 3 envelope folds with 20 minute rest periods between each set of folds. Cover the dough during the rest period to keep it from drying out. At the end of the 3rd envelope fold, put the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1-2 hours or double in size.
Shaping The Loaves of No-Knead Panini Bread
Once the dough has doubled, take it out of the mixing bowl and split it in half. Gently spread each half into a flat piece of dough, 3 inches by 12 inches. Lay the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a baking sheet without a raised edge. This will let you easily slide the loaf off of the baking sheet and into the oven. Cover the formed loaves with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap. The oil keeps the plastic wrap from sticking to the loaves. Spray oil works well for this.
Baking the Loaves of No-Knead Panini Bread
Let the loaves rise in a warm area. Put oven steel or stone on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat the oven while the loaves are rising. When you gently shake the pan, the loaves are ready to bake when they are double in size, soft, puffy, and jiggle. Bake them on the oven steel or stone for 22-25 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the interior should be 212 degrees F.
Cooling and Stuffing the Loaves
Cool the loaves completely on a wire cooling rack. Slice in half lengthwise, fill with your favorite panini fillings, grill, and enjoy. This recipe makes two loaves or 4 sandwiches. I’m off to stuff my loaf of No-Knead Panini Bread with some fresh mozzarella, basil, and my garden tomatoes for a Caprese Panini. Of course, Farmer Fred’s half will have bacon on it.
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No Knead Panini Bread
Equipment
- oven stone or oven steel
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 1½ tsp yeast
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup water (236g)
Instructions
- Add the salt and yeast to the flour. Stir to mix in
- Add the water and stir until the flour is all moistened. The dough will be sticky. Rest the dough for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes do the first envelope fold, cover, and rest for 20 minutes.
- Do 2 more envelope folds with 20 minutes rest after each one. A total of three envelope folds. After the 3rd envelope fold place dough in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rise for 1 - 2 hours or until double in size.
- Split the dough in half and form 2 pieces of dough about 3 by 12 inches. Place the pieces of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet that does not have a lip. (click here for a picture)
- Cover the loaves with a piece of plastic wrap that is lightly oiled. Let loaves rise until double in size. Loaves will be very soft and jiggle if you gently shake the baking sheet.
- During the last hour of rising, put an oven steel or stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the loaves on the stone for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. If you have an instant-read thermometer the interior of the load should be 211 - 212°F.
- Cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Slice in half lengthwise and fill with your favorite panini fillings. Grill and serve. Recipe makes 4 sandwiches.
Easy recipe,