Ciabatta
5 Reviews
About our ciabatta recipe
The classic staple, that is a warm ciabatta surely has to be the bake to master if you want to experience the best of bread baking? The versatile loaf is another artisan Italian bread which goes perfect with almost anything.
Why not create your own ciabatta garlic bread, or the perfect accompanyment to hot soup on a cold winters' day?
Are ciabatta and foccacia the same?
Focaccia is lightweight and cake-like where as ciabatta has a dence dough and chewy texture. Focaccia is also baked as a flatbread, whilst ciabatta is baked as a loaf and can be sliced into pieces.
Ciabatta makes the perfect sandwich with chewy crusts, whilst focaccia is a yummy antipasto or appetizer. I don't know about you, but our tummies are rumbling.
Method
Step 1
Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into a bowl. Mix to a soft dough with the oil and water.
Step 2
Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Divide the dough into two pieces. Stretch each piece into a rough circle about this size of a dinner plate and then fold like an envelope to give the traditional ciabatta shape.
Step 4
Place the loaves on a greased baking tray and leave covered with a tea towel until slightly risen. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6).
Step 5
Dust liberally with flour and bake in an oven for 15-20 minutes until well risen and puffy.
Step 6
Leave on a wire rack to cool.
Ingredients
- 50gVery strong white bread flour
- 450gAllinson's Strong white bread flour
- 2 tspUnrefined golden granulated sugar
- 1.5 tspSalt
- 1.25 tspEasy bake yeast
- 4 tbspOlive oil
- 285mlWarm water