Ciabatta Bread

gideon-milling-recipe-bread-ciabatta-03

Ingredients

  • 3/4-1 cup (200-245 g) + 1 tbsp (13 g) lukewarm water (divided)
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 cups (260 g) + 3 tbsp (40 g) Gideon Milling White Bread Wheat Flour (divided)
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

  1. Mix 1/4 cup of water, honey, and yeast in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir.
  2. In a large bowl, add the flour, make a well in the centre, and add the yeast mixture and 1/2 cup of water (if too dry then add the extra 1/4 cup of water 1 tbsp at a time until you reach a wettish dough). Mix with a wooden spoon. When almost fully mixed, add the salt and finish mixing. The dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tbsp of flour.
  3. Cover the bowl with a large tea towel, place in a warm, draft-free area, and let rise for 90 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tbsp of flour.
  5. Carefully move the dough from the bowl to the prepared cookie sheet, making sure that the floured top of the dough remains on the top.
  6. With a spatula, form the dough into an oblong loaf. Place 5 or 6 ice cubes on a pan on the bottom of the oven to create a vapour, or add the pan when pre-heating the oven an pour 1 cup of very hot water into the pan before adding the dough. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Let cool and serve. Enjoy!

Image and recipe (adapted) from Rosemary Molloy.