Ciabatta III

By Addie

Make wonderful restaurant-menu ciabatta bread right at home! All you need are six ingredients.


Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 18 hours 20 minutes

Servings: Makes 2 loaves (12 slices each)

Ingredients

• STARTER:
• # 1/4 teaspoon regular active dry yeast
• # 1/2 cup water
• # 1 cup bread flour
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• BREAD:
• # 3/4 cup water
• # 2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
• # 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• # 3/4 teaspoon regular active dry yeast
• # 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• # Cornmeal
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Preparation

Step 1

Directions:

In small bowl, stir all starter ingredients until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 12 to 24 hours.

In large bowl, mix starter and all bread ingredients except cornmeal with heavy-duty electric mixer using dough hook on medium speed 4 minutes or in food processor fitted with metal blade for 1 minute. Dough will be very sticky.

Grease medium bowl with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. Gently stir down dough with rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour longer.

On generously floured surface, divide dough in half. Gently press each half with floured fingers into 10x4-inch rectangle. Sprinkle cornmeal over large cookie sheet; place loaves 3 inches apart on cornmeal. Using spray bottle with fine mist, spray tops of loaves with cool water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until almost double.

Heat oven to 425°F. Using spray bottle with fine mist, spray tops of loaves with cool water. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour.