Ciabatta, which translates to "slipper" in English, was first created in 1982, in Rovigo, Veneto, Italy.
One of the most popular ways to eat ciabatta bread is in the form of a panini! I love making sandwiches using homemade bread.
Ciabatta is often compared to baguettes; however, they are very different kinds of bread.
The main difference between ciabatta and baguettes is the hydration levels. Ciabatta has a greater hydration level, resulting in airy holes within the bread.
This bread does take some time to bake. However, most of the time is spent letting the poolish (preferment) rest for 15 hours. It is worth the wait though. Trust me!
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
Poolish:
1 1/3 cup bread flour
1 cup of warm water
1 packet of active dry yeast
Dough:
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
STEPS:
Mix the bread flour, water, and yeast, in a small bowl, for the poolish and cover with a towel. Let it rest for 15 hours at room temperature.
Add the poolish into your stand mixer, as well as all the ingredients for the rest of the dough. Mix on medium-low for 10 minutes. Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
After an hour, fold one side of the dough over, then rotate the bowl 180 degrees and fold one side of the dough over again. Rotate one more time, and cover the bowl to rest for 30 minutes. Repeat two times resting 30 minutes in between.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Fill a baking sheet with a thin sheet of water and place it on the bottom rack of your oven. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour.
Gently place the dough onto a floured surface. Carefully shape into a square, and cut in the middle with a bench scraper. Shape again if needed and transfer your bread onto the prepared baking sheet. Dust one more time with flour and cover to rest for 1 hour.
Uncover the bread and mist with water. Take the baking sheet on the bottom rack out of the oven. Bake the bread for 30 minutes until golden brown and hollow.
Enjoy!
- The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳