Banner Image

Ciabatta Italian Hearth Bread

Poolish

By weight

300 grams bread or general purpose flour (King Arthur or similar)
300 grams room temp water
1 gram (pinch) yeast

By volume

2 1/4 cups bread or general purpose flour (King Arthur or similar)
1 1/4 cups room temp water
1/8 tsp yeast

Mix to a pancake batter consistency, cover with plastic wrap and let ferment for 3-4 hours, or overnight. Refrigerate after 3-4 hours.

The Finished Bread

By weight

The poolish, plus
700 grams flour
20 grams salt
9 grams yeast
430 grams water (73% final hydration)

By volume

The poolish, plus
2 7/8 cups flour
1 Tbsb salt
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup water

Directions

  • Mix the dough to where it is well hydrated (almost sticky).
  • Stretch and fold (like a letter – top to center; bottom to center; sides in,) then cover with plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • Stretch and fold again, and let rest for 1 1/2-2 hours covered. (The stretch and fold lines up the gluten to give the dough structure.)
  • Cut the ball into three pieces, stretch into the final shape.
  • Proof for an hour, then bake in your pizza oven.

It’s a very moist dough, and you don’t slash it. The final shape almost looks like a dog bone. The final Italian Ciabatta bread is crusty with big holes in the crumb.

 

Return to Bread Central – Table of Contents

ciabatta baked in pizza oven

Have any questions?