Ciabatta
This bread, with its big, shiny holes and amorphous shape, has taken America by storm, just as it did Italy during the past fifty years. Though it hails from an age-old tradition of rustic, slack-dough breads, the name ciabatta was not applied to this loaf until the mid-twentieth century by an enterprising baker in the Lake Como region of northern Italy. He observed that the bread resembled a slipper worn by dancers of the region and thus dubbed his loaf ciabatta di Como (slipper bread of Como). A new tradition was born. During the second half of the century, this ciabatta became the unofficial national bread of Italy, so closely identified is it with the chewy, rustic peasant breads of the Italian countryside. As with pugliese bread, the dough is not unlike that of many other Italian and French rustic breads, including pizza and focaccia, and can thus be made into many shapes other than the Lake Como slipper. You can make this dough with a large amount of either poolish or biga, and formulas for both versions follow. It can also be made with the addition of milk and olive oil to tenderize the dough. In other words, there are many variations, all valid, and as long as you make a slipper shape you can call it ciabatta. Since writing Crust & Crumb, I have continued to fine-tune these rustic breads, pushing the limits of time and temperature manipulation, trying to evoke every bit of flavor trapped in the flour. In the pain à l’ancienne formula, we will make a similar dough but with no pre-ferment and a long cold fermentation. Each variation in technique brings forth slightly different flavor tones from the wheat, and everyone seems to have their own preferences. In this version, the use of 165 to 180 percent pre-ferment seems to be the magic amount to maximize a same-day bread in a 4- to 5-hour window. It yields a slightly acidic and yeasty edge, a flavor that many people love. They say, “This tastes like real bread!” I have found little difference between the biga and poolish versions; both are amazing
This rustic bread dough can be formed into a number of shapes beyond the classic slipper, such as the long stirato, stubby pain rustique, or round pugliese style.
Ingredients
Ciabatta, Poolish Version
Ciabatta, Biga Version
Preparation
BREAD PROFILE
Step 1
Lean, rustic dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
DAYS TO MAKE: 2
Step 2
Day 1: 2 to 4 hours poolish or biga
Step 3
Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill poolish or biga; 10 to 15 minutes mixing; 3 to 4 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 20 to 30 minutes baking
Ciabatta, Poolish Version
Step 4
Remove the poolish from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill.
Step 5
To make the dough, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the poolish and 6 tablespoons of the water. With a large metal spoon (or on low speed with the paddle attachment), mix until the ingredients form a sticky ball. If there is still some loose flour, add the additional water as needed and continue to mix. If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand (see page 56). Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. Switch to the dough hook for the final 2 minutes of mixing. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add additional flour to firm up the dough enough to clear the sides of the bowl, but the dough should still be quite soft and sticky.
Step 6
Sprinkle enough flour on the counter to make a bed about 8 inches square. Using a bowl scraper or spatula dipped in water, transfer the sticky dough to the bed of flour and proceed with the stretch-and-fold method shown on page 138. Mist the top of the dough with spray oil, again dust with flour, and loosely cover with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag.
Step 7
Let rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough again; mist with spray oil, dust with flour, and cover. Allow the covered dough to ferment on the counter for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It should swell but not necessarily double in size.
Step 8
Set up a couche as described on page 38. Carefully remove the plastic from the dough and proceed as shown opposite for shaping the dough. Mist the top of the dough with spray oil and dust the dough with more flour, then cover the cloth with a towel.
Step 9
Proof for 45 to 60 minutes at room temperature, or until the dough has noticeably swelled.
Step 10
Prepare the oven for hearth baking as described on pages 91–94, making sure to have an empty steam pan in place. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Step 11
Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal and very gently transfer the dough pieces to the peel or pan, using the pastry scraper if you need support. Lift the dough from each end and tug the dough out to a length of 9 to 12 inches. If the dough bulges too high in the middle, gently dimple it down with your fingertips to even out the height of the loaf. Slide the 2 doughs (or bake one at a time if you prefer) onto the baking stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan). Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, open the door, spray the side walls of the oven with water, and close the door. Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals. After the final spray, turn the oven setting down to 450°F and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the loaves 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until done. The bread should register 205°F in the center and should be golden in color (but the flour streaks will also give it a dusty look). The loaves will feel quite hard and crusty at first but will soften as they cool.
Step 12
Transfer the bread from the oven to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
STRETCH-AND-FOLD METHOD
Step 13
Dust the top of the dough liberally with flour, patting the dough into a rectangle. Wait 2 minutes for the dough o relax. Coat your hands with flour and lift the dough from each end, stretching it to twice its size. Fold the dough over itself, letter style, to return it to a rectangular shape.
SHAPING CIABATTA
Step 14
(A) Using a pastry scraper that has been dipped in water, divide the dough into 2 or 3 rectangles, taking care not to degas the dough. Sprinkle the dough generously with more flour and, using the scraper to get under the dough, gently lift each piece from the counter and then roll it on both sides in the loose flour to coat.
Step 15
(B) Lay the loaves on the cloth and gently fold each piece of dough, from left to right, letter style, into an oblong about 6 inches long.
Step 16
(C) Bunch the cloth between the pieces to provide a wall.
Commentary
Step 17
You can add 1/4 cup (2 ounces) of olive oil to the formula and/or substitute whole milk or buttermilk for some or all of the water (even the poolish can be made with milk). In either instance, the oil- or milk-enriched product will be softer and more tender than the lean, water-only version. If you are adding the oil, you may need to also add a small amount of flour—as always, let the dough dictate if it needs any flour or liquid adjustments.
Step 18
As you become comfortable with wet dough, you may want to try increasing the hydration and stickiness of the dough. The wetter the better, as long as it holds together enough to make the stretch-and-fold maneuvers. It is during the stretching and folding that the gluten has a chance to strengthen, resulting in the large holes so distinctive and prized in this bread.
Step 19
This dough is very simple to make in a food processor. See page 55 for instructions.
Step 20
There are a number of fabulous variations that can be made by adding mushrooms, cheese, and sautéed onions, as described on the following pages.
BAKER’S PERCENTAGE FORMULA
Step 21
Ciabatta, Poolish Version %
Step 22
Poolish 169%
Step 23
Bread flour 100%
Step 24
Salt 3.3%
Step 25
Instant yeast 1.3%
Step 26
Water (approx.) 33.3%
Step 27
Total 306.9%
Ciabatta, Biga Version
Step 28
Remove the biga from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough. Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.
Step 29
To make the dough, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the biga pieces and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water and the oil. With a large metal spoon (or on low speed with the paddle attachment), mix until the ingredients form a sticky ball. If there is still some loose flour, add the additional water as needed and continue to mix. Proceed as described in the poolish version.
BAKER’S PERCENTAGE FORMULA
Step 30
Ciabatta, Biga Version %
Step 31
Biga 178%
Step 32
Bread flour 100%
Step 33
Salt 4.1%
Step 34
Instant yeast 1.9%
Step 35
Water (approx.) 83.3%
Step 36
Olive oil 22.2%
Step 37
Total 389.5%
