One step above a no-knead bread recipe, this Ciabatta bread is so forgiving and tasty, it’s a joy to make. You don’t have to use starter but if you do skip it, make sure to let the dough rest overnight in the fridge. I sometimes sub in beer for a little bit of the water or add a little bit of active dry yeast for more flavor.
Ingredients
(measured with a kitchen scale)
100g just fed ‘Willa‘ (aka sourdough starter)
360g tap water
450g AP flour
12 g fine sea salt
1 tsp honey, olive oil (optional)
Method:
In a large bowl, mix starter, water, honey and oil (if using) and salt with a whisk or dough whisk, and let sit 3 minutes. Mix in flour and incorporate until the dough comes together in a sticky ball and all flour has been thoroughly mixed.
Cover the bowl with a cloth or reusable cover and leave at room temp for one half hour. After 30 minutes has past, wet your fingers and fold the dough onto itself in four folds. Cover. Repeat this folding and turning process three times over 2 hours. Cover the bowl and stick in the fridge overnight.
About an hour before you want to cook your bread. Take the bowl of dough out of the fridge, and either flour or oil your surface. With wet hands, gently scrape dough out onto your surface, avoiding deflating the dough. with a dough scraper, cut the dough into either two long loaves or four square pieces. Let rise at room temp for one hour. Preheat oven to 500 and place a metal baking dish on the bottom of the oven. When the oven is preheated, carefully transfer your dough to a baking sheet or onto a peel and slide onto a preheated stone. Carefully add some hot water to the preheated baking dish to create steam and close the door. Bake the bread until the internal temp is 190 degrees and the outer crust is golden brown.
recipe adapted by Leah Mojer, M & P Manager