Ciabatta Bread (recipe)

Filed Under pareve, vegetarian, breads | Posted on November 24, 2006

Ciabatta Bread


This recipe for Ciabatta Bread creates a very light loaf, soft and chewy on the inside with a thin crunchy rustic crust. I made it for my mom’s birthday and it was a huge hit. I hope it will be a hit with you as well :)


Ciabatta Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup bread flour
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tsp brown sugar
2/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons olive oil (edited in light of this comment :) )
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Wholewheat flour for dusting

Directions:

1. To Make Sponge: In a small bowl stir together 1/8 teaspoon of the yeast and the warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy.

yeast

2. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, 1/3 cup of the water, and 1 cup of the bread flour.
3. Stir 4 minutes, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature for 24 hours.

Sponge

After 24 hours

4. To Make Bread: In a small bowl stir together yeast, warm water and sugar and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy.
5. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together yeast mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened; add salt and mix until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

mixer

6. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Dough

7. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.)

Dough

They grow up so fast! :)

8. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half.
9. Transfer each half to a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with wholewheat flour.

Loaves

10. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Loaves risen

11. At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425 F (220 degrees C).
12. Bake ciabatta loaves 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden.
13. Cool loaves on a wire rack.

slices

Makes 2 loaves



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26 Responses to “Ciabatta Bread (recipe)”

  1. Chennette on November 24th, 2006 9:15 pm | link

    The bread looks great. I look forward to trying this - love good crusty bread. Great site by the way, a lot of work and great recipes!

  2. Sarina on November 24th, 2006 10:51 pm | link

    Thanks a lot :D This site has become a labour of love for me :) I hope to be adding pelau, black cake and pastelles over the weekend so do come back :D Let me know how your ciabatta comes out, it’s so much fun! :)

  3. Marsha on November 28th, 2006 12:22 pm | link

    Nikki did you rememebr the Home Ec techniques or are you doing this from wrote because I don’t remember Home Ec preparing ME for all this good stuff!

  4. Sarina on November 28th, 2006 12:28 pm | link

    Child, the only thing i remember from home ec was the ‘well method’ of combining wet and dry ingredients. wait… no… i also remember to only wash things with dough on them with cold water so as not to activate the gluten… but other than that …. #$#%@#!C … everything is out of watching tv cooks and just trial and failure :D

  5. Nandita on December 7th, 2006 7:58 am | link

    Sarina,
    Beautiful bread! I dont happen to get ‘bread flour’ in Bombay and I stay away from using all purpose flour. We get ‘atta’ which is the wheat flour used to make ‘rotis’ - Indian flatbreads - can I try this recipe with wheat flour?

  6. Sarina on December 7th, 2006 8:12 pm | link

    Hi Nandita, I have no familiarity with atta. We tend to use all purpose flour with roti here… is wheat flour like whole wheat? If so I think it would be heavier, and you may not get an airy loaf… I’ll have to ask around, and I hope that maybe someone who sees this thread can give a definitive answer?

  7. Shalee on December 30th, 2006 5:37 am | link

    Your recipe looks like a winner! There are two things I could think of to add: 2T of olive oil (most recipes that I have read calling for 1T were disappointed in that the flavor was not quite as prominent); and then spraying the loaf(s) with water at least twice during the cooking period. This makes such a nice crusty loaf. I will be trying your recipe, as my search continues for that PERFECT “airy” loaf, which I have not quite perfected as yet. Here’s one interesting thing I read … adding brown sugar (I believe it was 1T, but cannot remember exactly) ~ that’s interesting. I love salt, so also top my loaves with Kosher salt after the last spraying of water, so as to not dissolve it. Good job, and thanks for the recipe! Glad I found your site, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

  8. Sarina on December 30th, 2006 6:54 am | link

    Hi Shalee :D So glad you found my little corner of the ‘net :D Thanks for those tips. I love the taste of olive oil so I’ll definitely add an extra tablespoon the next time around :) I’ll try spraying the loaf too.. I tried spraying some baguettes once and I think i overdid it LOL … must get a gentler mister I think?

    Hope you’ll pass by again, and Happy New Year to you and yours :D

  9. Marsha on March 16th, 2007 4:06 pm | link

    Nikki
    I finally made a loaf of bread! My first ever! Thanks for the inspiration :)

  10. Sarina on March 18th, 2007 6:13 pm | link

    glad to inspire! :)

  11. Helene on April 19th, 2007 11:38 am | link

    Hey, Love the pics along with the recipe. I am new at the bread baking. Last night was my umpteenth attempt at italian bread and it finally turned out perfect. Decided my yeast was bad for the past attempts. I am going to make your bread right now, well, the sponge anyway. Looks great. Nice job.
    Helene FLOUR POWER!

  12. Sarina on April 19th, 2007 3:09 pm | link

    hi helene :D i’m glad you finally had success with your breadmaking! Making bread is one of my favorite things and once you get the hang of it the varieties and options are endless! The price of bread has gone up so steadily over here that we now make all our bread at home. Do let me know how it turns out for you :) FLOUR POWER! :D

  13. Karen on June 23rd, 2007 12:44 pm | link

    This looks great, but I think I’m missing something. Where is the milk mixture part of the recipe?

  14. Sarina on June 23rd, 2007 2:03 pm | link

    Hi Karen :) There is no milk part, maybe you are thinking of Ciabatta Latte, that is when ciabatta has milk added. I’ve never made that variation though.

  15. Karen on June 23rd, 2007 7:00 pm | link

    Oh, it was in step 5 so I wondered…

  16. Sarina on June 23rd, 2007 9:32 pm | link

    Oh my! Thanks for pointing that out Karen, it should say ‘yeast mixture’ :)

  17. Debbie on June 25th, 2007 1:59 pm | link

    I have been buying (so called) “9 grain Ciabatta buns” from Costco in Ontario, Canada. The ingredience showing on the bag are; Flour ,Water, 9 grain mix (of Wheat flakes, Rye Flakes, Sunflower Seeds, Flour, Wheat Bran, Flax Seeds, Sugar, Salt, Corn Flakes, Fye Flour, Oat Flakes, Soya Grits, Millet, Malted Barley flour, Vegetable Oil, Colour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono-Digycerides, Ascorbic Acid, L-Cysteine Hydrochlorides, Azodicarbonamide, Amylase) , Bread Mix (flour, Salt, Dry Sourdogh of Rye, Rye Flour, Yeast, Bacterial Culture, Malted Barley Flour, Vegetable Oil, Dextroes, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono-Diglycerides, Ascorbic Acid, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Azodicarbonamide, Amylase) Yeast.
    Looks like you need to be a chemist to sort all this out.
    My question is does anyone have a multi grain Ciabatta Bread recipe?
    We really like these buns. Not as heavy as white bread for sure. Great with hamburgers off the grill or toasted in the morning with your favorite preserve. Anybody heard of this or have tried the Costco buns. Debbie

  18. Bonnie on July 25th, 2007 5:33 pm | link

    Instead of “spraying the loaves” try this: preheat the oven 50 degrees hotter than recipe calls for. Place shaped loaves in the oven. Have a spray bottle ready with clean water and on a misting setting. As soon as you put the bread in–mist the SIDES of the oven (stay away from the elements!!!!!) (and lightly on the top of the dough if you want) Quickly close the oven. Repeat about 1 minute later. Then repeat again another minute later. I do this about 4 times and then I TURN THE HEAT DOWN to the temperature called for in the recipe (don’t forget–I’ve burned alot of bread because I’ve forgotten!) The spraying will cause a steam that will make a wonderful crust.

  19. Ron on August 18th, 2007 12:54 am | link

    Went OK until I tried to remove the “dampened kitchen towel”. What a mess. I assume I’m not supposed to cook the towel.

    Has anyone got a better idea?

  20. Sarina on August 18th, 2007 7:41 am | link

    Ron - was the dough too sticky? try a greased sheet of plastic film :)

  21. Ron on August 25th, 2007 4:27 am | link

    OK, that seemed to help. I also reduced the water a little to make it less sticky.

  22. Liz on October 20th, 2007 8:23 am | link

    ugh I don’t know what I did wrong but my bread came out FLAT! :(

  23. Michele on December 3rd, 2007 9:38 am | link

    Hi Sarina Just found you by accident looking for a Ciabatta Bread recipe. Believe me, I will be back. You’re “bookmarked” now…thanks again and Happy Holidays to you and yours.

  24. Topchef on January 18th, 2008 8:12 pm | link

    The loaves look great! I would recommend flouring the top before baking after a quick brush of olive oil for a more authentic texture, but the crust and crumb look excellent!

    Topchef at http://www.epicureforum.com
    Your Mise En Place for restaurants, recipes, and everything food!

  25. Judy on January 23rd, 2008 10:57 am | link

    My bread tastes wonderful but it has turned out flat both times I have tried it. What could I be doing wrong? Any suggestions? Thanks

  26. Sania on February 28th, 2008 4:38 pm | link

    Hey Debbie,

    Yes!! I love the ciabatta bread from costco. We buy the bag on regular bases.
    My only question is about how good is it for you? how many calories is in one bun and fat etc.

    anyone know????

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