Ciabatta
Description
Homemade baked goods for tea. Well, it's high time we started baking at home, as store-bought bread lately has been far from tasty. Although there are countless recipes for various baked goods, today I'd like to focus on one Italian option and show you how to make ciabatta. You might have already come across this bread, as it has become quite popular recently. But if you've never heard of it, let me tell you all about it now. Ciabatta is a light, airy bread with a crispy crust and a soft crumb full of large holes. It's perfect for various dishes, but most commonly used for sandwiches. I love it in any form, as this homemade bread is truly delicious and simply incomparable to store-bought versions. So let's treat ourselves to an excellent Italian-style ciabatta. The baking is done. Serve at the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, prepare the dough. Pour warm water into a deep bowl, add flour and dry yeast, then add salt, sugar, and olive oil. Mix these ingredients into a smooth dough using a mixer.
- 2
Step 2
Sprinkle the table with flour and knead the dough by hand for another few minutes. Then place it back into the bowl and refrigerate (specifically in the refrigerator, not in a warm place) for 3-4 hours.
- 3
Step 3
After the time has elapsed, we sprinkle a flat surface with flour, place the dough on it, gently press it down, and divide it into several parts. Depending on the size of the ciabattas you want to make, that's how many portions you'll get.
- 4
Step 4
Let's start shaping. Use your hands to flatten each piece of dough into a rectangle.
- 5
Step 5
Fold the edges of the rectangle in this way.
- 6
Step 6
Now, flatten this rectangle once again and fold the edges once more.
- 7
Step 7
Next, we place the ciabatta seam-side down, pressing the edges of the loaf downward with our fingers so they stick together. Then, gently press the dough with our hands to shape it into a loaf.
- 8
Step 8
Coat the ciabatta on all sides with rye flour and place on a baking sheet, let rest for 20-30 minutes.
- 9
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place a pot of water on the bottom rack. Put the ciabatta into the oven and bake for 20–30 minutes. When the bread develops a crispy crust, remove it from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Then slice and enjoy the amazing taste of ciabatta.