The Very Lightest Ciabatta
"This is true to its name. Light, flavorful and great for sandwiches. The credit goes to King Arthur's Flour site."
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Yields:
-
2 loaves
- Serves:
- 6-8
ingredients
-
bread sponge
- 1 1⁄2 cups king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1⁄4 teaspoon instant yeast
-
bread dough (bread sponge plus)
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1⁄2 cups king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
- 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
directions
- Mix the sponge ingredients, in a small bowl or in the pan of your bread machine, until well combined (program the machine for Dough, then cancel it once the ingredients are mixed, after a couple of minutes). Let the sponge rest overnight, covered, or for up to 15 hours.
- Mixer Method: Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of your mixer, and beat it at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it'll begin to acquire some shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy.
- Bread Machine Method: Place all of the ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, program the machine for Manual or Dough, and press Start. Examine the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle; it should be very tacky, but should be holding its shape somewhat. Adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary. Allow the machine to complete its cycle.
- Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands. Using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half. Handling the dough gently, stretch it into a log about 10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the log with your fingers till it's about 10-inches long and 4 to 5-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy. Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough. Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.
- Dust the dough very lightly with flour. Bake it in a preheated 425°F oven, throwing four or five ice cubes on the floor of the oven as you put the bread inches Allow the ciabatta to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return the loaf to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give it a very crisp crust.
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Reviews
-
I can usually hold my own as a home bread baker, but something just didn't work out for me with this recipe. The recipe looks just fine ingredient wise, but my dough after adding only 1/4 c water was very runny. Now I do have to say, that weather, humidity, and brand of flour could certainly played a factor in this. I went ahead and finished the bread all the way through. My loaves were as flat as pancakes, but they tasted great! Isn't that crazy? So I am rating this without stars for now, and hope to give this another try sometime. Please don't let this review discourage others that may want to try it. Like I said, Bread Baking is an art, and when conditions aren't right even accomplished bakers will have an occasional "oops".
