Homemade Ciabatta Bread

🥘 Ingredients

• bread flour 130 g
• instant yeast 0.12 tsp
• water 120 ml
• instant yeast 1 tsp
• warm water 240 ml
• bread flour 325 g
• table salt 8 g
• olive oil
• bread flour
• ice cubes
• water

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl , whisk together the bread flour and instant yeast . Add the water (room temperature, about 21°C) and mix with a silicone spatula until combined.
2. 2

   Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 16 hours .
3. 3

   Uncover the biga. In a separate large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer with a dough hook ; don't use a handheld mixer), whisk together instant yeast and warm water (about 38–43°C). Cover and let sit for 7 ½ minutes until the yeast has dissolved.
4. 4

   Add the biga, bread flour (plus more as needed) and table salt . Gently mix with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon , or the dough hook on medium speed. The dough will seem dry and shaggy at first; keep working it until all the flour is moistened and the dough is uniform (no dry pockets). If needed, lightly grease your hands with olive oil and gently knead in the bowl. The dough will be wet and sticky; that's normal and expected.
5. 5

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature (1st rest).
6. 6

   1st stretch-and-fold: visualise a clock on top of the dough and fold at 12 o'clock. With an olive oil-greased spatula or lightly oiled hand, lift the dough at 12 o'clock, stretch it up and pull it toward the opposite side of the bowl (6 o'clock), folding it down over the dough. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you've gone around the bowl twice, for a total of 8 folds. Cover and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
7. 7

   Repeat the stretch-and-fold three more times (4 in total), resting 30 minutes between each. After the 4th, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 ½ hours .
8. 8

   Very generously flour your counter or work surface. Using lightly oiled hands or a lightly oiled spatula, gently scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. Generously sprinkle bread flour on top. With floured hands, gently stretch and shape the dough into a rough rectangle, about 25x18 cm.
9. 9

   For 8 rolls: with a floured bench scraper , cut the dough into 8 roughly equal pieces, each around 6x9 cm (doesn't need to be perfect). For 2 loaves: cut the dough in half to make two 13x18 cm (or 25x9 cm) rectangles.
10. 10

    Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper . With floured hands and the bench scraper, lift the sticky dough pieces onto the parchment, at least 5 cm apart to allow for expanding. Be extra gentle so you don't deflate the dough. If pieces lose shape, gently reshape into rectangles.
11. 11

    Lightly sprinkle flour over the dough, then gently cover with a clean kitchen towel or piece of parchment paper. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour .
12. 12

    Meanwhile, position one oven rack at the very bottom and another in the centre. Place a flat cookie sheet or rimmed baking sheet on the centre rack. Preheat the oven to 232°C for about an hour before the bread goes in.
13. 13

    When ready to bake, scatter several handfuls of ice cubes in a large shallow metal roasting pan (or cast-iron skillet or rimmed baking sheet; no glass). Uncover the dough and lightly spray or flick with a little water .
14. 14

    Working quickly, remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and slide the parchment and proofed dough onto it. Return to the oven. Slide the pan of ice cubes onto the bottom rack and quickly close the door to trap the steam.
15. 15

    Bake for 21 minutes until golden brown. Test for doneness: the bread should sound hollow when tapped, or read 96–99°C inside with an instant-read thermometer .
16. 16

    Remove from the oven and cool for at least 45 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing, or the texture will be gummy.
17. 17

    Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Baked and cooled bread can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.