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Ciabatta Three Ways


We love this recipe. It yields an extremely light, air pocket-riddled loaf, wonderful for splitting lengthwise, to make a stuffed sandwich or the best garlic bread you've ever enjoyed. Read our blog about this ciabatta (plus garlic bread and pan bagna), with additional photos, at Bakers' Banter.

Ingredients

Overnight starter

Dough

  • all of the starter (from above)
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Topping for Garlic Bread

  • 1 medium head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled (about 15 medium cloves)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of salt
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • snipped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1) To make the starter: Mix the starter ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Cover the starter and let it rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours. It will become bubbly.

2) Place all of the dough ingredients, including the starter, into the bowl of your mixer, and beat at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 7 minutes. The dough will be very smooth, soft, shiny, and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough ingredients in your bread machine using the dough cycle.

3) Transfer the dough to a greased bowl or other rising container, cover it, and let it rise for 2 hours, deflating it midway through. If you're using a bread machine, allow it to rise for an additional hour after the dough cycle has ended.

4) Lightly grease your work surface, and a half-sheet baking pan (18" x 13") or similar large baking sheet. Grease your hands, as well.

5) Very gently turn the dough out of the bowl onto your work surface; you don't want to deflate it. It'll lose a bit of volume, but don't actively punch it down.

6) Using a bowl scraper, bench knife, or your fingers, divide the dough in half. You should have two fat logs, each about 10" long x 4" wide.

7) Handling the dough gently, transfer each piece to the baking sheet, laying them down crosswise on the sheet. Position them about 2 1/2" from the edge of the pan, leaving about 4" between them.

8) Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes. Midway through, gently but firmly dimple the dough with your fingers, making fairly deep pockets. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

9) Spritz the risen loaves with lukewarm water. You'll see that the dimples have filled in somewhat, but haven't entirely disappeared.

10) Bake the loaves till they're golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.

11) To make garlic bread: Prepare the topping by combining the minced garlic cloves, melted butter, olive oil and a pinch of salt.

12) Cut the loaves in half lengthwise, like you're going to make giant sandwiches.

13) Spread the cut halves with the garlic mixture.

14) Bake the bread in a preheated 400°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and the edges of the bread are starting to brown.

15) Remove the bread from the oven, and sprinkle it immediately with the grated Parmesan and parsley, if desired. Cut in crosswise slices to serve.

16) To make pan bagna (a stuffed Italian sandwich): Split a ciabatta in half lengthwise, and brush each half with olive oil.

17) Fill the ciabatta with Italian cold cuts, provolone cheese, chopped olives, softened sun-dried tomatoes, sliced red onions, lettuce, basil leaves, sliced peppers or pimientos, or any combination of any similar sandwich-type fillings.

18) Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and top with a weighted baking sheet (a baking sheet with a couple of bricks or heavy cans on top).

19) Let the pan bagna rest under the weights for a couple of hours, then slice and serve.

Recipe summary

Hands-on time:
20 mins. to 25 mins.
Baking time:
18 mins. to 20 mins.
Total time:
16 hrs 8 mins. to 19 hrs 10 mins.
Yield:
2 loaves
*Overnight
Rate recipe
****+
Recipe comments (23) »

Tips from our bakers

  • Because this dough is so soft, it's virtually impossible to knead it by hand. Please use an electric mixer or your bread machine to knead the dough.
  • For extra-crispy loaves: When they're done baking, turn off the oven. Remove the loaves from the baking sheet, and return them to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the loaves to cool completely in the oven.

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Reviews

*****

11/17/2009

Lori from Hereford Arizona

I have baking since I was 9 years old (I'm 43) This was the first time I tried to make ciabatta. It was the best I have ever had. It is worth the effort. This is an excellent recipe and the instructions were easy to understad. I will be baking this often. Thank you!

*****

11/04/2009

Heather from Pennsylvania

Oh my goodness, this is DELICIOUS! I feel like a real, artisan baker right now :) I made one larger loaf and two smaller ones, and since I like to bake directly on my baking stone, I let them rise on my pizza peel. Apparently, I didn't flour the peel enough, since the dough was so wet it just "ate up" what was there. When I transferred the loaves to the oven, they stuck and had to be pried off the peel. I thought they were done for...but apparently it's harder to mess up this dough than it looks! I think this is a recipe where the parchment method is necessary if you want to bake on a stone. But my husband and I just devoured one of the small loaves, and now he keeps raving about what a good wife I am, so no harm done!. Can't wait to make it again, it will definitely be making an appearance next time we have company.

*****

09/21/2009

Sharryn from Idaho Baker

I had to leave for dinner tonight just after I shaped the loaves, so.......I put them in the car, after 45 minutes I went out and made the dimples, then covered it back up and went in and finished my dinner! Brought it home, turned the oven on, and baked it. This is my first try at Ciabatta, and they turned out perfectly, even after their little adventure! LOL Thanks for this fantastic site. I lurk frequently

*****

09/01/2009

Cpatricia from Marietta, GA

I am very delighted with this recipe. Although one spread slightly more than the other, the presentation was not bad. I will definitely use it again. I would like to use the dough to make rolls. What technique would I use to make rolls? Also, could this be used to stuff with chicken and pesto sauce?
To make rolls, you will just divide the dough evenly into smaller portions. With such a wet dough, just try to pat the rolls into shape, but remember they are supposed to be on the rustic side. You could stuff with small amounts of cooked chicken and pesto sauce, but use a light touch.

*****

08/03/2009

Erin from Pennsylvania

This was an AWESOME recipe! It tastes just like the Italian restaurant bread that I love - and I love even more that I can now make it at home! :) The last time I made it, my timing was a little off, and I had to refrigerate the dough overnight after I punched it down, but it was perfectly fine the next morning and just as delicious! I am definitely toasting one of these loaves for some homemade bruschetta!

*****

07/17/2009

Potsticker from indianapolis

Those who complain about "too much time" just need to think a day ahead. I have made the starter and let it go more than 15 hours with no compromise in quality, and I have also made the dough and let it rise in the refrigerator over night, again with wonderful results. My guests loved the large holes and crispy crust. I have made it a little "whole grain" adding 1/4 cup five rolled whole grain mix to the batter and topped the loaf with more of the mix, and everyone loved it. This is a keeper

*****

06/03/2009

Jill from Lake Zurich, IL

Great recipe and super easy! I used the bread machine method, but I may try the mixer next time (just as simple and easier to clean). I may also try substituting in some whole wheat flour or will try KAF's other ciabatta recipe that uses whole grains. Dough looked too runny, but it came out perfect! This bread will become a regular at my house.

*****

04/26/2009

Arnboat from Seattle

This is one great recipe. It's on my list of regulars. I've made it 6 or 7 times but always as a regular sandwich loaf. I'm now ready to try it as garlic bread or with toppings. The crumb, flavor and crust are excellent and the dimples really make it. I use active dry yeast and activate if first and only use bottled not tap water to avoid the chlorine. Those two things have made a big difference in my breads.

*****

04/14/2009

Lillie from Lake City,Fl

OMG,this is the best tasting bread i have ever made.It was easy...i used my bread maker to do the dough part and just let it rise in there for the other hour as it stated.Did not work it and just halved it.Turned out great and pretty.My husband and I ate half of the smaller one with butter when it was still warm.Mmmm.The other will make sandwiches out of.Thank You KAF.

*****

03/25/2009

Alyssa from SP

Very easy and extra delicious! I baked this to make sandwiches but it wasn't out of the oven 5 minutes when we started dipping it in rosemary olive oil and the loaf was gone..