I have 2 techniques for "baking" bread on the stove top with a dutch oven. I use air quotes on "bake" because a real oven is the ideal solution for this. But my techniques work well enough and it keeps my galley simple enough. And fresh bread on board, no matter the technique, always makes my crew and me happy.
The key to a dutch oven is mass; you want a thick, heavy cast iron pot and lid, enameled or not.
- flat breads like pita or English muffins: this is easy, just flatten out a piece dough to about 1-2 cm of thickness so that it fits neatly on the bottom of the pot. Pre-heat the pot to medium heat, covered. Put the risen dough in, decently floured, oil optional, let it cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip for another 2-3 minutes on the other.
- loaf bread: Don't get too ambitious here, keep your loaf small, maybe no more than the equivalent of 2 cups of flour. You'll need the dutch oven and a small oven-safe dish that can fit inside. I use a small cake pan. Make 4 small balls of aluminum foil maybe 2-3 cm in diameter. Really, all you need is a something that can take the heat and a bit of weight. Put the foil balls at the bottom of the pot, place the dish on top. The key is to make sure there's hot air flowing underneath and around the dish. Cover the pot, warm up to medium heat. You want to build heat with the thermal mass of the dutch oven. When it's decently hot, gingerly place your risen loaf into the dish and cover immediately. Don't disturb it for 15-20 minutes. If needed, leave it in for another 5-10 minutes.
I hope this helps.
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