Ciabatta

Ciabatta 

One of the most famous Italian Bread!

INGREDIENTS 
Ciabatta (for about 1 kilo)

BIGA: 
180 g of Wheat Flour 0
90 g of warm water
a pinch of compressed fresh yeast

DOUGH
400 g Wheat Flour 0
337 g of warm water
15 g of salt
2 g of compressed fresh yeast


DIRECTIONS
To form the biga, add the wheat flour and yeast to warm water. Mix until thoroughly combined. Then place in a container, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment for 24 hours at room temperature in a dark room.

After your biga is ready, mix the ingredients for the dough, including the biga.

Because the biga is so stiff, allow it to sit in the water for several minutes so it can soften up before adding the wheat flour and compressed yeast.

Knead until the bread dough is elastic and the ingredients are well incorporated. Because this dough has a high level of water, I recommend using the French kneading technique.

Place in another container, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to ferment for about 45 minutes, or until the bread dough has just about doubled.

Fold the bread dough using this technique:
a- Scrape the bread dough out of the container and place it directly on a wooden board gently floured in front of you.
b- Place both hands under the right side of the dough.
c- Lift the bread dough upward and stretch it.
d- Fold the bread dough to the center of the rest of the dough.
e- Place your hands under the bread dough about 1/6 of the way around the rest of the dough.
f- Lift the bread dough upward and stretch it.
g- Fold the bread dough to the center of the rest of the dough.
h- Move your hands another 1/6 of the way around the dough, and repeat steps c and d. Make your way around the entire piece of dough. When done, flip the dough over so that what was once the bottom is now the top.

Now, return the ball of dough to its container, cover it with plastic wrap, and continue the fermentation process for an additional 45 minutes.
Fold again and ferment for another 45 minutes.

Lightly stretch the bread dough into the shape of a rectangle, a sort of rustic rectangle.
The ciabatta should be a rectangle with slightly rounded corners, just like a slipper (in Italian "ciabatta").

Softly move the bread dough onto a couche, cover it, and allow it to proof.

Transfer this bread dough to a peel, but please be gentle.

Gently flip the ciabatta onto a peel and place your dough in the oven.
Preheat the oven at 250 °C.
Creating steam in the oven is simple, but it’s not just about adding water to the oven (I add a little steel pot, a sort of oven pot, full of water)
Bake the dough for approximately 25–30 minutes. Remember to vent the oven during the final 10 minutes of baking.
The crust should be golden brown.

Cool the bread according in a cooling rack.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta

Ciabatta

Ciabatta

Time: PREP TIME 24 hours for BIGA, about 2 hours and 15 min for DOUGH. - COOK TIME 25-30 min.