Italian Ciabatta

Total Time: 15 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/4 cup water, more as needed (2 3/4 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Recipe

• 1 biga (italian starter):.
• 2 mix the biga ingredients, in a small bowl until well combinedl.
• 3 cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest for up to 15 hours.
• 4 it will expand and become bubbly so leave room in the bowl for it to expand.
• 5 ciabatta dough:.
• 6 place all of the dough ingredients together with the biga into the bowl of your mixer or bread pan of your bread machine.
• 7 beat at medium speed (mixer) using the flat.beater (not dough hook), for 5–8 minutes.
• 8 the dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it’ll begin to acquire some shape. the dough will be very wet.
• 9 cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1–1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy.
• 10 midway through the rising period, gently deflate the dough and turn it over in the bowl; this will help it rise, and will also strengthen its gluten, making it easier to shape.
• 11 (note: if using the dough cycle on bread mahine, check the consistency after 10 minutes (it should be very tacky, but should be holding its shape somewhat), adding more flour or water s needed. midway through the rising period, gently deflate the dough and turn it over in the bowl; this will help it rise, and will also strengthen its gluten, making it easier to shape. allow the dough to rest an additional 30 minutes after the dough cycle ends).
• 12 which ever method you use. your dough will be wet and sticky, but don't worry, it's suppose to look like that.
• 13 transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface.
• 14 lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands.
• 15 using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half.
• 16 handling the dough gently,; stretch it into a log about10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet.
• 17 flatten the log with your fingers till it’s about is about 10 inches long and 4–5 inches wide.
• 18 repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• 19 lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
• 20 oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough.
• 21 re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.
• 22 at this point, the dough will be very puffy; it should jiggle like gelatin when you very gently shake it.
• 23 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 24 spray the loaves very heavily with water, and dust them lightly with flour (if desired).
• 25 bake for 25–30 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
• 26 turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return them to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches.
• 27 allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give them a very crisp crust.
• 28 your bread should have large, irregular holes, ideal for trapping the olive oil/balsamic drizzle.