Italian Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Name: Ciabatta Bread
Prep time: 960 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1000 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups of ice; 3 cups of bread flour; 1 1/8 teaspoon of dry yeast; 1 1/2 cup of lukewarm water; 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Enjoy warm and crispy homemade bread with this Ciabatta Bread recipe!

Italian Cuisine

December 19, 2021

Difficulty Medium

Servings 8 people

Preparation 960 mins

Cooking 40 mins

Total 1000 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

3 cups of bread flour
1 1/8 teaspoon of dry yeast
1 1/2 cup of lukewarm water
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of ice

Directions

Poolish

Mix bread flour with yeast in a medium to a large mixing bowl.
Add water to the flour-yeast mixture and stir until combined.
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and seal the edges.
Let the bowl sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours and a maximum of 24 hours.

Bread Dough

Once the Biga is ready in 12 hours, in a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour with yeast and salt. Mix well to combine.
Add water and Biga to the same bowl and mix well.
At first, the mixture will feel very dry, and as you knead the dough with your hands, it will become sticky and wet.
As soon as there are no dry pockets of flour left in the dough.
Now pour the ½ tbsp oil over the dough and cover it completely.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
After resting, remove the plastic wrap and fold the dough in half in the same bowl and cover with oil again.
Cover the bowl again with the plastic wrap and let it sit for 45 more minutes.
Repeat this half-fold and 45 minutes of a resting method two more times.
Prepare a separate baking sheet with parchment and dust it off with cornmeal.
On the clean work surface, sprinkle some cornmeal.
Now, take the dough and divide it into three equal parts. The dough will be wet to handle with hands, so use a bench scraper.
Cover your hand with some oil and fold the dough into a long log to the desired thickness.
Place the prepared dough over the baking sheet with parchment.
Repeat the same with the rest of the dough to form 3 bread loaves.
Cover the loaves with a clean and damp kitchen towel and let them rest for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 446 °F.
Heat the baking sheet and a skillet along with the oven. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack and a skillet in the lower rack.
Once the sheet and skillet are preheated, quickly and carefully, slight the parchment paper with the loaves over to the baking sheet.
Place 2 cups of ice in the skillet quickly, and shut the oven door close.
Bake the Ciabatta bread for 35 to 40 minutes or until the loaves are golden and crispy from the outside and cooked from the inside.
Cool down on the cooling rack and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Ciabatta Bread

Serves 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories86

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2.5 g3.2%

Protein 2 g4%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

Don’t hesitate to use oil when making the dough. Because ciabatta dough is wet and sticky, you can work better by oiling the bowl and the dough.
When shaping the dough into a rectangle, use water to wet your hands so that the dough doesn’t stick to them.
When baking the homemade ciabatta bread for the first time, make sure the top gets a nice golden brown color before taking it out of the oven.
Don't slice the bread as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let it cool down completely before you slice it. This will allow the bread to get some structure.

Rate This Recipe

Ciabatta Bread is one of the recipes of Italian cuisine. This Italian loaf can be served in many delicious recipes, from soups to salads.

You can have this recipe for breakfast, which is similar to French baguette with its unique texture. Try our recipe to make delicious Homemade Ciabatta Bread. Enjoy your meal.

Equipment for this recipe

Mixing Bowls

Stand Mixer

Cutting Board

Chef Knife

What Is Ciabatta Bread?

Ciabatta is an Italian version of the French baguettes. The bread is shaped into a long loaf and is quite flat. The bread is widely known for its alveolar holes, more like Swiss cheese. The bread has a chewy and crispy crust, whereas the interior is airy. It gets its unique texture from a special mixture called Biga. It is widely used for sandwiches, especially for Paninis.

What is The Difference Between Sourdough and Ciabatta?

Here are a few main differences that set the sourdough and Ciabatta apart:

Firstly, Ciabatta contains olive oil, whereas the sourdough doesn't use olive oil.
Ciabatta uses dry yeast as a leavening agent, whereas sourdough doesn't use any commercial ingredient for the purpose. Instead, it uses live bacteria and wild yeast, naturally available in the flour.
Furthermore, the hydration level in Ciabatta is higher as compared to in sourdough.
The Ciabatta mixture dough is stickier and wetter than the sourdough.
Ciabatta is not scored, but sourdough is scored before baking.
Sourdough has a cough and a more complex flavor than Ciabatta.
Sourdough is dense in texture, whereas Ciabatta is airy.

How to Serve Ciabatta Bread?

You can serve ciabatta bread in several ways. Here are a few ideas you should try:

Appetizer: Bread makes a great appetizer. You can serve Ciabatta slices along with several dips like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic dip. Plus, serve it with garlic butter, and it will taste just perfect.

Sandwich/panini: Ciabatta bread is an excellent choice for sandwiches, burgers, and Paninis.

Croutons: Toss the ciabatta bread pieces in olive oil and herbs and serve as croutons on salads or soups. The golden color and crispiness make them pieces just perfect.

Soups: It serves as a wholesome side dish with soups and stews.

Here are some delicious recipes:

How to Store Ciabatta Bread?

Once the homemade ciabatta bread cools down, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate. It will last for up to 3 days. Furthermore, you can also freeze the bread. It will last for up to 3 months. Defrost it and warm it in the oven or air fryer to enjoy!

Recipe byPetite Gourmets