Cacio e Pepe English Muffin Bread - No-Knead Loaf

This loaf takes the pepper and Parmesan you know from cacio e pepe and puts them in a bread with the open, chewy crumb of an English muffin. You mix it in a stand mixer, press it into a 9×5-inch pan, and let time do the work. No kneading, no shaping, no rolling pin.

The pepper is the part people get wrong. A full tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper sounds like a lot, and it is. That is the point. Use pepper you crack yourself, because pre-ground pepper tastes flat and dusty once it bakes.

The dough will look shaggy and sticky when you scrape it into the pan, closer to a thick batter than a bread dough. That is exactly right. Resist the urge to add flour, or you will lose the holes that make this loaf worth baking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the loaf pan

Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with avocado oil, line it with parchment paper, and spray the paper too. Add 2 tablespoons of cornmeal and tilt the pan until the bottom and sides are coated. Set it aside.

2. Proof the yeast

Whisk the warm water, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar in a small bowl. Leave it for 5 minutes. It should look foamy on top, which tells you the yeast is alive.

3. Mix the dry ingredients

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, cracked pepper, remaining sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl. Add 1 cup of the grated Parmesan and run the mixer until it's evenly scattered through the flour.

4. Bring the dough together

Swap the paddle for the dough hook. Add the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon avocado oil, and the yeast mixture. Mix on low for 5 to 6 minutes. The dough should be soft, sticky, and pulling away from the bowl in slow strands.

5. Fill the pan and top it

Scrape the dough into the prepared pan with a spatula and press it into the corners with your fingers. Scatter the 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan and 1 tablespoon cornmeal over the top.

6. Let it rise

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes. It's ready when the dough has doubled and sits near the rim of the pan.

7. Bake at 400°F

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center sounds hollow when tapped.

8. Cool before slicing

Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a wire rack. Cool it completely before you cut into it.

Variations

No cornmeal

dust the greased pan with a little extra grated Parmesan instead and skip the cornmeal topping. The crust comes out a bit crisper.

Extra pepper finish

crack a little more black pepper over the top right after baking, while the crust is still hot, for a sharper bite.

How to Store Cacio e Pepe English Muffin Bread

Frequently Asked Questions

Cacio e Pepe English Muffin Bread – No-Knead Loaf

A no-knead loaf with the crackly pepper and Parmesan bite of cacio e pepe, plus the nooks and chew of an English muffin. Bakes in 25 minutes.

15 minPrep time25 minCook time130 minTotal10Servings

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Ingredients

• avocado oil spray (for greasing)
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• ⅓ cup warm water
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (divided)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly shaved parmesan cheese (for topping)
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal (for topping)

Instructions

1. 1Prepare the loaf pan — Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with avocado oil, line it with parchment paper, and spray the paper too. Add 2 tablespoons of cornmeal and tilt the pan until the bottom and sides are coated. Set it aside.
2. 2Proof the yeast — Whisk the warm water, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar in a small bowl. Leave it for 5 minutes. It should look foamy on top, which tells you the yeast is alive.
3. 3Mix the dry ingredients — Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, cracked pepper, remaining sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl. Add 1 cup of the grated Parmesan and run the mixer until it's evenly scattered through the flour.
4. 4Bring the dough together — Swap the paddle for the dough hook. Add the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon avocado oil, and the yeast mixture. Mix on low for 5 to 6 minutes. The dough should be soft, sticky, and pulling away from the bowl in slow strands.
5. 5Fill the pan and top it — Scrape the dough into the prepared pan with a spatula and press it into the corners with your fingers. Scatter the 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan and 1 tablespoon cornmeal over the top.
6. 6Let it rise — Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes. It's ready when the dough has doubled and sits near the rim of the pan.
7. 7Bake at 400°F — Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center sounds hollow when tapped.
8. 8Cool before slicing — Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a wire rack. Cool it completely before you cut into it.

Cook's note: The dough is meant to be sticky and loose. Trust the rise and the golden top instead of adding flour, and let the loaf cool fully before the first slice.

Servings: 10

Cuisine: Italian-American

Course: Bread

RecipesCooker15 minutes25 minutes130 minutes