Ciabatta recipe

Details

• Cuisine: Italian
• Recipe Type: Bread
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

1. The night before you want to bake, prepare the biga by mixing the flour, water and yeast in a bowl until it forms a wet paste. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place overnight (around 12 hours).
2. The next morning, the biga will have expanded and will be full of small air bubbles. In a large bowl, mix the biga with the water for the main dough. Use your fingers to break the biga apart into small pieces.
3. Add the remaining flour, salt and yeast, and mix together until it forms a raggedy wet dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave for 20 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to develop, making the dough easier to knead later.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean flat surface and start kneading. The dough will seem very wet at first; resist the urge to add more flour, and continue kneading for 10-15 mins. The dough will slowly become smooth and very elastic. (See the main ciabatta article for a handy video clip on kneading wet dough
5. Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl, cover the bowl with clingfilm, and leave to rise in a warm place for 3-5 hours, until the dough has roughly tripled in volume.
6. Very gently without squeezing, tip the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flour the top of the dough, and cut into two equal pieces. Don't worry about the shape.
7. Prepare a baking sheet with baking paper and a generous dusting of flour. With floury hands, very gently lift each piece of dough and place it top-side down on the baking sheet.
8. Cover the dough with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 9 / 250°C.
9. Remove the clingfilm. Bake at Gas Mark 9 / 250°C for 8 mins, then turn the oven down to Gas Mark 4 / 180°C and bake for a further 12 mins. The ciabatta is done when the crust is golden brown and the bread feels very light for its size. Cool on a wire rack.