Name: Ciabatta
Prep time: 3 h 1 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 3 h 21 min
Yield: 15 Ciabattas
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 200 ml milk; 150 ml water; 9 g salt; 15 g caster sugar; 50 ml olive oil; 500 g flour; 20 g yeast; a little milk

Ciabatta

Ciabatta is a small, very soft Italian bread. The name means "slipper". It normally takes a long time to prepare as a special leaven called "biga" is used, but this simplified version is quicker and just as good.

214,2223.9/5 for 26 ratings

Last modified on: October 24^th 2017

Preparation

Resting

Cooking

Start to finish

1 hour 1 min.

2 hours

20 min.

3 hours 21 min.

Step by step recipe

Stage 1 - 5 min.

Pour 200 ml milk, 150 ml water, 9 g salt, 15 g caster sugar and 50 ml olive oil into a pan, and warm over gentle heat.

You can also melt all these ingredients in a bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.

Stage 2 - 3 min.

Tip 500 g flour and 20 g yeast into the bowl of a food processor, then add the warmed liquid.

Stage 3 - 6 min.

Knead on minimum speed for 5 to 8 minutes, until the dough is evenly mixed and elastic.

Note: For the best way to knead, see: A few tips for effective kneading at home.

Stage 4 - 5 min.

Tip out onto the worktop without flour, and stretch...

Stage 5 - 5 min.

... then fold back on itself a number of times.

You can see how to do this in the recipe for leavened bread which has videos showing the movement.

Stage 6 - 2 hours

Next place the dough in a bowl, cover with a plastic sheet, and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume, which will take 2-3 hours.

Stage 7 - 5 min.

After this time, tip the dough out onto the worktop, press to expell the CO₂ gas that has formed, and shape into a ball.

Stage 8 - 10 min.

Cut the ball of dough into smaller pieces of about 50 g.

Stage 9 - 10 min.

Then roll each piece under your hand to make a nice ball and place on a baking sheet, as shown in this short video.

You will see that you should try to keep both thumb and little finger straight (these roll the ball), and the other 3 fingers curved over the top.

Stage 10 - 5 min.

The dough is very sticky, which is quite normal, but means that they risk sticking to the plastic sheet when covered again.

This little trick will help to avoid this: place a glass in the middle of each sheet between the rolls...

Stage 11 - 2 min.

And lay the plastic sheet over the glasses, so that the dough does not stick to it.

Stage 12 - 5 min.

Leave the rolls to rise and double in volume for 1 or 2 hours in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).

Just before baking, brush the rolls with a little milk to help them brown.

Stage 13 - 20 min.

Cook for about 20 minutes until golden brown, then leave to cool on a wire rack.