ciabatta

For some reason, I always forget to take a picture of the crumb in my bread. These are the ciabattas I made for my friend Whitney's dinner party some time ago. I failed miserably the first time I tried to make a ciabatta. No open holes, tasteless and straight up disgusting. I think I've finally nailed it though using an adapted recipe from Peter R's Bread Baker's Apprentice. It's a great purchase for anybody that's interested in baking fresh bread, inexperienced or experienced.

Although I forgot to take a picture of the crumb, this Ciabatta turned out really well and I think the secret in achieving the large irregular holes associated w/ ciabattas is in the hydration of the dough as well as being gentle when degassing. Like any bread, the primary fermentation is the most important (I think) and I was able to achieve a good amount of volume to the bread.

Ciabatta
Adapted from Bread Baker's Apprentice

Ingredients (Poolish):
- Bread flour 11.25 oz
- Water 1 1/2 cup
- Instant yeast 1/2 tea

1) Stir together the flour, water, and yeast until mixed. The mixture should look like a thick pancake batter. Cover the bowl w/ plastic wrap and leave out at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours or until bubbly and foamy. Immediately refrigerate (will keep for up to 3 days in fridge).

Ingredients (Ciabatta):
- Poolish
- Bread Flour 13.5 oz
- Salt 1 3/4 tea
- Olive oil 1/2 cup
- Water 1/4 cup*

2) Remove the poolish from the fridge and let it chill off for at least 1 hour.

3) Mix everything together and form a rough dough. Start kneading by hand for about 8 - 10 minutes until the windowpane test is cleared. You can add more water (or milk/buttermilk) if you feel comfortable w/ handling a higher hydration. I added the * next to the water because I usually end up adding more water if I feel that the dough could get a little more hydrated. It gives the bread a nice rustic flavor at the end.

4) Sprinkle some flour onto the working surface and make a rectangle. Use the stretch and fold method to give volume to the dough and lightly oil the bowl/container and the top of the dough. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

5) Stretch and fold the dough again and spray the top of the dough w/ oil and dust w/ flour. Cover the container/bowl and let it ferment for 1.5 - 2 hours or until almost doubled in size.

6) Cut the dough into the desired number of pieces and shape into either the traditional slippers or whichever shape you prefer. Proof at room temperature for 45 - 60 minutes.

7) Preheat that oven to 500°F and prepare for hearth baking.

8) Dust the back of a sheet pan (or baking stone) w/ corn meal or seminola flour and place into the oven. (If using a baking stone, it should be preheated w/ the oven! In this case, dust the peel)

9) Have a pan or cast-iron pan preheating w/ the oven and when the bread goes in, pour in hot water to create a moist, humid environment for the bread. Also, using a sprayer, spray some water to the sides of the oven to create more steam. Close the oven door and after 30 seconds repeat the spraying process. Do this one more time (total of 3 spray periods). This will help form a nice crust on the bread.

10) After the final spray, lower the temperature to 450°F and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, rotate if necessary and bake for another 5 - 10 minutes until you achieve the desired color.

11) Cool at least 30 minutes!