Ciabatta Bread

 

 

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 2 Cups bread flour
• ½ Tsp active dry yeast
• 1.5 Tsp salt
• 11 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp warm whole milk

 

For the starter (Biga)

• 1 Cup bread flour
• 1/3 Cup water at room temp
• 1/8 Tsp active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp warm water

 

Directions:

Make the starter:

1. Make the starter the night before.  Mix together yeast and 2 tbsp warm water and let sit for a few minutes
2. In a medium bowl stir yeast mixture with flour and water until combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temp for up to 24 hours

 

Make the Ciabatta:

1. Use stand mixer and combine yeast and warm milk and let sit until creamy
2. Add the starter, olive oil, flour salt and water and mix together for approximately 10 minutes
3. Prepare a large bowl lightly oiled with olive oil.  Place dough in bowl and let sit until double in size (about 2 hours)
4. Turn dough onto floured surface and cut and form into 2 loafs
5. Place on parchment lined baking sheet
6. Cover and let stand for up to 2 hours to double in size
7. Heat oven to 425F with pizza stone inside
8. Transfer loafs to preheated pizza stone and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.