Ciabatta
A rustic Italian ciabatta with a crisp crust, open irregular crumb, and deep flavor developed from a long-fermented biga preferment.
Equipment
Ingredients
Biga
Strong white bread flour
250 g
Room temperature water
250 g
Fresh yeast
3 g
Final Dough
Strong white bread flour
250 g
Salt
8 g
Fresh yeast
8 g
Room temperature water
125 g
Olive oil
25 g
Instructions
Mix the Biga
Mix all Biga ingredients in a large bowl until a smooth paste forms.
Ferment the Biga
Cover the bowl and rest the Biga at room temperature for 6 hours until puffy, bubbly, wobbly, and fragrant.
Prepare yeast and water
Weigh the yeast and water into a jug and mix to soften the yeast.
Weigh dry ingredients
Place the Biga bowl on the scales, zero them, then weigh in the flour, zero again, and weigh the salt on top of the flour. Mix lightly to distribute salt.
Combine liquids and form dough
Pour the yeast-water mixture into the dry ingredients, add olive oil, and bring everything together into a dough.
Work the dough in the bowl
Work the dough vigorously inside the bowl with a scraper for 8 minutes, stretching and folding it in a circular motion to develop gluten.
First rest
Transfer the dough into a well-oiled rectangular plastic box, cover, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
First fold
Oil your hands, slide them under one end of the dough, lift and fold it over. Repeat on the other end, then rotate the box 90° and repeat. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Second fold
Repeat the folding sequence and rest another 30 minutes.
Third fold
Repeat the folding sequence once more. The dough should now feel pillow-like, alive, and airy. Rest 30 minutes.
Prepare baking trays
Line two baking trays with parchment paper before dividing the dough.
Divide the dough
Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface, flour the sticky side, gently stretch into a landscape rectangle. Divide vertically into four long pieces.
Shape and place loaves
Lift each piece gently, stretch slightly longer, and place two loaves on each lined tray.
Final proof
Preheat the oven to 230°C Fan while the loaves proof for 30 minutes.
Bake the ciabatta
Bake for 5 minutes at 230°C Fan (optionally with steam), then reduce to 180°C Fan and bake 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Original recipe
Storage
Store in a paper bag at room temperature up to 2 days. Freeze sliced for longer storage.
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