Ciabatta was first produced in 1982 by Francesco Favaron, a baker from Verona, in collaboration with Molini Adriesi who provided the flour to produce the bread. This was in response to the popularity of French baguettes. This bread is somewhat elongated, broad, and flat, and is baked in many variations. Favaron named the bread ciabatta as he said that the shape of the bread reminded him of the slipper (ciabatta) of his wife Andreina.

This is my second most favourite bread to make because it’s so simple. Though the dough for ciabatta is very wet and sticky, resist the temptation to add more flour.

Learning to make this is so easy and I’m sure you will enjoy this as a fresh or grilled panino with some salami or prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, a bit of  basil and tomato, or simply ripped into pieces and dipped in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Ciabatta

480g (3 cups) strong flour plus a bit more for dusting, I use “00” grade
 same type of flour I use for my pizza dough.

20g fresh yeast (7g/2 teaspoons dry active yeast)


7g (1.5 teaspoons) salt


300ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water 


30ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Semolina flour, for flouring

 

Step 1 – Combine half of the flour and half of the yeast with half the water in a bowl. Beat it together into a thick batter.

Step 2 – Work the dough for five minutes.

Step 3 – Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and leave it to rise for at least six hours or over night at room temperature. This is known as the starter or others call it the sponge.

Step 4 – Tip the mixture into the bowl of your kitchenaid or food mixer. Dissolve your remaining yeast with the remaining water. Add the oil and remaining yeast water mixture.

Step 5 – Mix this all together with a dough hook attached while gradually adding your remaining flour.

Step 6 – Add the salt in the last again gradually adding to the dough mixture; mix for 6-10 minutes, or until the dough is stringy and soft.

Step 7 – Tip the dough into a well-oiled litre square plastic container and put the lid on.

Step 8 – Leave the dough to swell until the dough has risen three-quarters of the way up the side of the container.

Step 9 – Mix equal amount of flour and semolina flour together and use this to flour the work surface. Tip the dough out onto the surface. Split the dough into two and stretch the two pieces into shape.

Step 10 – Preheat the oven to 220°C then drop to 175°C. If you have a combi oven you can set the moisture to be at 60%. If you are familiar with using a wood fired oven this bread is magic when baked in it.

Step 11 – Place the dough on a baking tray floured with a mixture of flour and semolina and allow to prove again for another 30 minutes. Bake for 35 minutes.

 

Happy Cooking and remember always cook with your HEART…

Stay tuned for more on this series.