Making Ciabatta Bread

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Ciabatta Recipe

Biga:

Ingredients

3/4 teaspoon dry yeast (I use instant yeast)
1 3/4 cups of cold water
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (470 grams)

Directions

1. If you are not using instant yeast you should soften the yeast in 1/2 cup of the water first.
2. Mix all ingredients together into a wet batter/dough.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
4. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Ciabatta:

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon dry yeast (1.5 grams)
2 1/2 tablespoons of warm milk (38 grams)
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons of room temperature water. (143 grams)
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil (7.5 grams)
1 very full cup of Biga (250 grams)
2 cups less 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour (250 grams)
1/2 tablespoon salt (7.5 grams)

Directions

1. Stir the yeast into the milk in the bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. (Not necessary, to let it stand, if you are using instant yeast.) This will work much better if you use weights rather than dry measures. Add the water oil and the Biga, mix until blended. (Use the Paddle if you are using a stand mixer.) Mix the flour and salt together and add to the bowl mix 2 to 3 minutes with the paddle then switch to the dough hook and mix for 3 minutes at low speed then 3 minutes at medium speed. The dough will be very sticky. Turn it out onto a well floured surface and knead briefly adding as little flour as possible. ( A trick that works, if you wet your hand the dough won't stick to them) The dough should start to be less sticky and become smooth and springy.
2. Place the dough in an oiled bowl or air tight container. Let it rise for 1.5 hours at room temperature. (Room temperature is important, not in a warmer area or prover.) After this time the dough should be full of large bubbles.
3. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured board/counter. Cut it into two loaves roughly the same size. Shape each into a cylinder about 10X4 inches, pulling gently to get each loaf about the same size.
4. Place each loaf on a generously floured peel, parchment paper or the back of a cookie tray. Dimple each deeply with your fingers to prevent them from rising too much. Sprinkle the tops generously with flour and cover with a towel and let rise at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours.
5. Half hour before baking preheat the oven and a baking stone to 425F.
6. Carefully turn the loaves onto the stone. I bake mine separate the first loaf at 1.5 hours of rising and the second one at 2 hours. The loaf should bake for 20 to 25 minutes and during the first 10 minutes spray water 3 times in the oven being careful to not spray any directly on your baking stone.
7. Cool the loaves before cutting them.