Description
A classic Italian bread with a crisp crust and airy, chewy crumb, made with simple ingredients and a long, slow fermentation.
Ingredients
Scale
3 ½ cups (450g) Bread flour
1 ¾ cups (410ml) Warm water (about 85°F)
1 teaspoon Instant yeast
2 teaspoons Fine sea salt
Instructions
- Mix the dough: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Pour the water into the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl. Let it rest for 30 minutes
- Perform stretch and folds: Wet your hands slightly. Grab one side of the dough. Stretch it up and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat for 4 folds total. Do this every 30 minutes for 2 hours
- Bulk fermentation: Cover the dough tightly. Let it rise at room temperature for 8-12 hours (overnight is ideal) until tripled in size and bubbly
- Shape the loaves: Generously flour your work surface. Gently turn out the dough without deflating. Cut in half. Transfer each piece to a heavily floured linen cloth. Let rest for 45 minutes
- Bake the ciabatta: Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone or inverted tray inside. Slide dough onto hot surface. Add ice cubes to bottom of oven for steam. Bake 25-30 minutes until deep golden. Cool completely on a wire rack
Notes
Do not add extra flour to the sticky dough; use wet hands and plenty of bench flour during shaping.
For active dry yeast substitute, use 1 ¼ teaspoons and let foam in warm water for 5 minutes.
Store at room temperature wrapped in a cotton towel for up to 2 days; freeze sliced for longer storage.
Reheat by spritzing with water and warming in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes; do not microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: ciabatta, Italian bread, artisan bread, homemade bread