Homemade Ciabatta Bread

By Sally's Baking Recipes · 360 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Whisk the bread flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and mix with a spatula until combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.
2. In a separate large bowl or a stand mixer with a dough hook, whisk the yeast into the warm water and leave for 5 to 10 minutes until dissolved. Add the starter, flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and sticky; if needed, oil your hands and knead in the bowl. Do not use a hand mixer.
3. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes at room temperature.
4. Fold the dough: lift one side, stretch it up and fold it over the dough, turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you have done 8 folds (two full turns of the bowl). Cover and rest 30 minutes.
5. Repeat the folding three more times, resting 30 minutes between each. After the fourth fold, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
6. Heavily flour the work surface. Turn the dough out gently and shape into a rough 10 x 7 inch rectangle. For 8 rolls, cut into 8 pieces of about 2.5 x 3.5 inches. For 2 loaves, cut in half into two 5 x 7 inch rectangles (or 10 x 3.5 inch).
7. Transfer the pieces to floured parchment, at least 2 inches apart, handling gently. Dust with flour, cover loosely and rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
8. Meanwhile, place one rack in the bottom position and one in the centre. Put a flat or rimmed baking sheet on the centre rack and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) for about an hour.
9. Put several cups of ice cubes in a metal roasting pan on the bottom rack. Optionally, mist the loaves lightly with water. Slide the parchment and bread onto the hot baking sheet and quickly add the ice pan, then close the door.
10. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown (up to 25 minutes for a deeper colour). The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped, or an instant-read thermometer reads 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C).
11. Cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing, as cutting early makes it gummy. Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.

Summarized from Sally's Baking Recipes's video. Watch it for the details.