Ciabatta Bread

[brassia]

I have a batch of ciabatta bread on the go this morning, but I have a feeling that it is not quite right. Does anyone in here make this great Italian loaf? I would love to get my hands on a tried and true recipe. :D

[terese]

For sponge
1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (105?‐115? F.)
1/3 cup room-temperature water
1 cup bread flour

For bread
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm milk (105?‐115? F.)
2/3 cup room-temperature water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Make sponge:
In a small bowl stir together yeast and warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, room-temperature water, and flour and stir 4 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.

Make bread:
In a small bowl stir together yeast and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened and beat dough at medium speed 3 minutes. Add salt and beat 4 minutes more. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.)

Have ready a rimless baking sheet and 2 well-floured 12- by 6-inch sheets parchment paper. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone or 4 to 6 unglazed "quarry" tiles (see note, above) arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425? F.

Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone or tiles in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. With a large spatula transfer loaves to a rack to cool.


This recipe is from epicurious. I haven't tried it, but it got a 4 fork rating. :blink:

[brassia]

Thank you terese :D This is very much like my recipe so maybe I am fretting over nothing. :rolleyes: I'll let you know this afternoon. ;)

[terese]

You're welcome and good luck Brassia! :D

[MrSeedy]

I used to have a "thing" about home made breads years back, and would often do a version of Jewish Challah or braided egg bread, and another favorite, 100 % whole wheat bread, and that recipe sounds mighty tempting. Unfortunaely, I think sometimes bread is chemistry and location, and my last attempts to make break in this house were a disaster, though I don't think my kneeding techniques etc. have changed that much, but the whole wheat just wouldn't even rise correctly, and it's was so heavy, and dry compared to years back. The egg bread was both tastey and a beautiful thing to behold as well, and I should try that one again, but still have a suspicion my house doesn't like to help bread rise!! To tell the truth I"m not sure there's even a good bakery in town these days to find truly homemade tasting bread, but I miss it!!

[tablastorm]

It could very likely be the water. Water has a huge impact on the flavor of bread.

I just made my first bread since moving - a simple braided eggy loaf from one of the James Beard books. It rose very well, and looked beautiful. But tasted quite flat. Not nearly as flavorful as at the old house. And I made bread quite a bit. I'm pretty sure the water was the deciding factor.

[brassia]

If I make a batch of bread or buns that has around 9 or so cups of flour in it, I add about a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar. Oddly enough iIt gives it a nice taste. :P