Ciabatta bread is a rustic Italian bread creation celebrated for its crunchy exterior and chewy center. However, it may seem like a timeless staple, this delightful bread was born in the Italian northeast town of Adria in 1982, reminding us that innovation can emerge from anywhere, anytime.
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In 1982, Arnaldo Cavallari, a breadmaker from Adria, sought to create a homemade bread to compete with the ever-popular French baguette. He spent hours in his mill developing the perfect bread recipe. Through experimentation with different types of flour and water-to-flour ratios, he finally crafted a high hydration dough that resulted in a delightful loaf with a crunchy crust and a soft center. He named it “ciabatta” because of its slipper-like shape; in Italian, the word ciabatta means “slipper.”
Every time I make this great recipe, it gets rave reviews. Whether you serve it with bruschetta, use it for dipping in sauce, or enjoy it alongside your favorite pasta dish, this bread will enhance the meal. Just remember not to serve it until your main dish is ready. Some of my friends and family can’t stop eating it, and it will disappear in no time!
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Ingredients for the Biga or sponge:
- 1 ½ cups (200 g) bread flour
- 1 scant cup (200 ml) water, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
Ingredients for the Ciabatta Bread dough:
- 2 ⅔ cups (350 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) water, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- Corn meal for dusting
Directions for the Biga or sponge:
In a large bowl combine the 1 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 tsp of yeast, and 1 cup of water. Mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Clean the sides of the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let overnight rise for 15 – 20 hours.
Directions for the Ciabatta Bread dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer or any type of large bowl. Combine the Biga with 2 2/3 Cups of flour, 2 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp yeast, and cup of room temperature water. Mix the dough yeast mixture with a wooden spoon for several minutes or use the paddle attachment of your mixer. Remember you will be working with a very wet dough.
Knead the Dough:
Now it is time to knead your sticky dough ball. Use the dough hook on medium speed for about 10 minutes. As you knead the dough it will not stick to the bowl the longer you knead the dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer, some hand mixers have dough hook attachments to use. After the dough is finished kneading place the dough ball in a large bowl coated with olive oil. Make a cloth bowl cover with a lint-free dish cloth, cover the bowl, and let the dough have its first rise for 45 minutes.
Fold and stretch the dough:
After the first rise, wet your hands with warm water and stretch and fold the dough every 90 degrees for 7 to 8 repetitions. Watching the video for this step can be very helpful. While stretching the dough, you may notice bubbles forming within it. Be careful not to pop these bubbles, as they will create irregular spaces in the bread that are perfect for holding your favorite sauce. Once you’ve completed this step, cover the dough and let it rise for a second rise for 45 minutes.
Repeat step #3 one more time to complete a third dough rise
Bake the Dough:
After the third rise generously dust your work surface with corn meal. If you don’t have corn meal your extra flour will work fine. Allow your shaggy dough to fall out of the bowl onto your work surface. Next, using two bench scrapers on the side of the dough shape the ciabatta dough into a square. Handle gently and be careful not to pop any bubbles in the dough. Also, try not to touch the top of the dough because this is where most of these bubbles will be. Cut the dough in half with one of the scrapers and form 2 rectangular loaves. Next cover the dough with a lint free towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. During this period more bubbles will form near the top of the loaves.
Now it is time to get the hot oven ready. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees f, and place a cast iron skillet or pot on the bottom of the oven. Be sure this skillet preheats with the oven. Later when we place the bread in the preheated oven we will add 2 cups of ice to the skillet to create a steam for the bread to begin its cooking process. This is what creates the crunchy crust of the homemade ciabatta bread.
After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, prepare a piece of parchment paper that is well-dusted with cornmeal or flour. Use your scrapers to transfer the dough onto the parchment paper. Then, slide an inverted baking sheet underneath the parchment. If possible, spray the dough with a light mist of water, and place the baking sheet in the oven. Next, add 2 cups of ice to the heated skillet and close the oven door immediately.
Let the rustic bread bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes before cutting the bread. If you don’t let the bread cool enough it will be gooey in the center.
Ingredients
Biga or Sponge
- 1 ½ Cups Bread Flour
- 1 Cup Room Temperature Water
- ¼ tsp Instant or Active Yeast
Ciabatta Bread Dough
- 2 ⅔ Cups Bread Flour
- 1 Cup Room Temperature Water
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp instant or active yeast
- Corn Meal for dusting
Instructions
Directions for the Biga or sponge:
- In a large bowl combine the 1 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 tsp of yeast, and 1 cup of water. Mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Clean the sides of the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let overnight rise for 15 – 20 hours.
Directions for the Ciabatta Bread dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or any type of large bowl. Combine the Biga with 2 2/3 Cups of flour, 2 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp yeast, and cup of room temperature water. Mix the dough yeast mixture with a wooden spoon for several minutes or use the paddle attachment of your mixer. Remember you will be working with a very wet dough.
Knead the Dough:
- Now it is time to knead your sticky dough ball. Use the dough hook on medium speed for about 10 minutes. As you knead the dough it will not stick to the bowl the longer you knead the dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer, some hand mixers have dough hook attachments to use. After the dough is finished kneading place the dough ball in a large bowl coated with olive oil. Make a cloth bowl cover with a lint-free dish cloth, cover the bowl, and let the dough have its first rise for 45 minutes.
Fold and stretch the dough:
- After the first rise, wet your hands with warm water and stretch and fold the dough every 90 degrees for 7 to 8 repetitions. Watching the video for this step can be very helpful. While stretching the dough, you may notice bubbles forming within it. Be careful not to pop these bubbles, as they will create irregular spaces in the bread that are perfect for holding your favorite sauce. Once you’ve completed this step, cover the dough and let it rise for a second rise for 45 minutes.
- Repeat step #3 one more time to complete a third dough rise
Bake the Dough:
- After the third rise generously dust your work surface with corn meal. If you don’t have corn meal your extra flour will work fine. Allow your shaggy dough to fall out of the bowl onto your work surface. Next, using two bench scrapers on the side of the dough shape the ciabatta dough into a square. Handle gently and be careful not to pop any bubbles in the dough. Also, try not to touch the top of the dough because this is where most of these bubbles will be. Cut the dough in half with one of the scrapers and form 2 rectangular loaves. Next cover the dough with a lint free towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. During this period more bubbles will form near the top of the loaves.
- Now it is time to get the hot oven ready. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees f, and place a cast iron skillet or pot on the bottom of the oven. Be sure this skillet preheats with the oven. Later when we place the bread in the preheated oven we will add 2 cups of ice to the skillet to create a steam for the bread to begin its cooking process. This is what creates the crunchy crust of the homemade ciabatta bread.
- After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, prepare a piece of parchment paper that is well-dusted with cornmeal or flour. Use your scrapers to transfer the dough onto the parchment paper. Then, slide an inverted baking sheet underneath the parchment. If possible, spray the dough with a light mist of water, and place the baking sheet in the oven. Next, add 2 cups of ice to the heated skillet and close the oven door immediately.
- Let the rustic bread bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes before cutting the bread. If you don’t let the bread cool enough it will be gooey in the center.
