Public Recipe
Rustic Italian Ciabatta
Shared on 7/10/2025
High hydration (80%) requires minimal handling. Use plenty of flour when shaping. Steam is essential for proper crust development.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Bake Time
25 minutes
Difficulty
intermediate
Yield
2 loaves
yeast bread
Ingredients
- Poolish: Bread Flour: 150g (1 1/4 cups), Water: 150ml (2/3 cup), Instant Yeast: 1/8 tsp
- Main Dough: Bread Flour: 350g (2 3/4 cups), Water: 225ml (1 cup), Salt: 7g (2 1/4 tsp), Instant Yeast: 2g (1/2 tsp)
Instructions
1
Make poolish: Mix ingredients, cover, ferment 12-18 hours at room temperature until bubbly.
2
Combine main dough ingredients. Add poolish, mix thoroughly (dough will be very wet).
3
Cover, rest 30 minutes. Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes.
4
Bulk ferment 1-2 hours until increased 50% with air bubbles.
5
Gently turn dough onto well-floured surface. Divide into two pieces.
6
Shape into rectangles by gentle stretching - avoid pressing out air bubbles.
7
Transfer to floured parchment, dimple surface with fingertips.
8
Proof 45-60 minutes until puffy.
9
Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with baking stone.
10
Slide loaves onto stone. Create steam with water pan.
11
Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding.
12
Cool completely on wire rack.
Equipment
- baking stone
Baker's Notes
High hydration (80%) requires minimal handling. Use plenty of flour when shaping. Steam is essential for proper crust development.
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