Rustic Italian Ciabatta
Make rustic homemade ciabatta with an overnight biga, high-hydration dough, crisp crust, and open airy crumb.
Ingredients
- 225 g bread flour (biga)
- 170 g cool water (biga)
- 1/8 tsp instant yeast (biga)
- 225 g bread flour (final dough)
- 170 g lukewarm water (final dough)
- 5 g instant yeast (final dough)
- 9 g salt
- 15 g olive oil
Instructions
- BIGA (NIGHT BEFORE): Mix 225 g bread flour, 170 g cool water, and 1/8 tsp instant yeast. Cover. Ferment approximately 12-16 hours at cool room temperature. Biga should be bubbly, expanded, and aromatic.
- FINAL DOUGH: Combine biga, water, flour, and yeast. Mix until combined.
- Add salt and olive oil. Mix vigorously using stand mixer or repeated stretch-and-fold technique. For stand mixer: approximately 6-8 minutes at moderate speed until dough becomes shiny, elastic, and begins clearing bowl despite remaining very soft.
- Transfer to well-oiled container. Rest 30 minutes.
- Perform coil fold. Repeat after another 30 minutes.
- Ferment until dramatically aerated and approximately doubled, around another 60-90 minutes depending on temperature.
- Flour work surface generously. Turn dough out carefully. Do NOT punch down.
- Divide into 2 rough rectangles. Gently stretch into slipper-like ciabatta shapes.
- Transfer to floured parchment/couche. Proof approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven and baking stone/steel to 450F.
- Transfer loaves carefully. Add steam during initial baking.
- Bake approximately 22-28 minutes until dark golden and crisp.
- Cool completely before cutting.
Nutrition
Chef's Notes
WARNING: This is a high-hydration dough. It will be wet and sticky. Do not add flour until it behaves like ordinary sandwich dough - that would ruin the open crumb. CHEF'S NOTES: - The overnight biga develops flavor and improves the open crumb structure. - Use coil folds, not punch-downs, to preserve air bubbles. - Handle gently - don't degas the dough. - A stand mixer makes this wet dough much easier to handle. TROUBLESHOOTING: - Why is ciabatta dough so sticky? High hydration (~75% total) creates the open, airy crumb. - How do I preserve large holes? Gentle handling, coil folds, don't degas, bake hot. - Can ciabatta be kneaded by hand? Yes, but use stretch-and-fold technique in the bowl rather than traditional kneading. STORAGE: Room temperature 1-2 days. Best day-of. Freezes well whole. SCALING: 2x = make 4 loaves. Fermentation times do not scale. ALLERGENS: Contains wheat. NUTRITION NOTE: Calculated per slice (1/16 of recipe, 2 loaves) using standard USDA nutrition values.