Big Ole Bills Ciabatta Bread Recipes

BIG OLE BILL'S CIABATTA BREAD

Steps:

• 1. First we make the biga. In a medium bowl mix water and yeast if using regular yeast. Wait 10 minutes or so until yeast has creamy texture. If using instant yeast just mix yeast and water straight into flour in the next step.
• 2. Mix flour and water and yeast mixture into bowl to form sticky and loose dough.
• 3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 3 or 4 hours.
• 4. Once the biga rests it will be bubbly. Pour two more cups of warm water into it a little at a time. Scrape along the edge of the bowl with a spatula.
• 5. Pour mixture into a standing mixer bowl with an oiled dough hook. Mix on low for 1-2 minutes, and continue to mix while slowly adding flour. Add salt with last cup of flour. Mix on medium for 10 minutes. Then mix on high for 10 more minutes. Dough should pull away from sides of the mixing bowl.
• 6. Transfer to dough to a bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 40-50 minutes.
• 7. Dip a spatula in warm water. Fold dough from outside to center. Do this 7-10 times. Using hands raise dough out of bowl and until it starts to fold over and put back in bowl. Turn bowl 90 degrees and do this again. Cover again and let rise for another 40 to 50 minutes. Repeat spatula folds and lifting folds again.
• 8. Generously sprinkle work surface with flour, and let dough slide onto it by flipping bowl upside down. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, and gently form dough to a rectangle. Cut dough into 3 elongated loaves. I use a bench scraper to do this.
• 9. Generously sprinkle 3 kitchen hand towels with flour. Transfer one loaf to center of each towel and cover by folding towel ends over each one.
• 10. Preheat oven to 450 degrees while bread is resting in towel. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and sprinkle paper with flour. Flip each loaf gently from towels onto parchment paper.
• 11. Spray the oven with warm water right before you place it in oven to create steam.
• 12. Bake for 450 degrees for 10 minutes without ever opening the oven. Leave bread in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees and then bake for another 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
• 13. Note... In my oven when I bake 2 loaves at a time, I bake for a total of 30 minutes. 1 loaf a total of 20 minutes

CHEF JOHN'S NO-KNEAD CIABATTA

Steps:

• Place white and wheat flour in a large bowl. Add salt, yeast, and water. Mix until a wet sticky dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Cover with foil. Allow dough to rise for 18 hours at room temperature. It should not be too warm.
• Punch dough down with a spatula and fold it over a few times.
• Lightly grease a heavy-rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with cornmeal.
• Lightly spray a work surface with water. Place a long sheet of plastic wrap on the damp surface to hold it in place. Sprinkle plastic wrap with flour. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Gently stretch and pull dough into a long, flat rectangular shape, 12 to 15 inches long. Bring plastic sheet to edge of prepared pan and flip the dough into the prepared pan. Reshape the dough, if necessary. Dust with flour. Cover with a light dry towel. Let rise about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake dough in preheated oven until loaf is nicely browned, 35 to 45 minutes.

CIABATTA

Steps:

• Make biga:
• Place water in processor. Sprinkle yeast over. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup flour; process until blended. Scrape down sides of work bowl. Add 1 cup flour; repeat processing and scraping. Add remaining 1 1/3 cups flour. Process until small moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball (dough will be firm); place in large bowl. Cover; chill overnight (biga will soften, resembling thick oatmeal in texture).
• Make dough:
• Pull biga into walnut-size pieces; place in a clean large bowl. Add water, yeast and 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons semolina. Using 1 hand, squeeze ingredients together 2 minutes. Work dough 4 minutes by scooping sections from sides of bowl and pressing into center, blending into very soft, shaggy mass. Using spatula, scrape dough from sides of bowl into center. Let dough rest in bowl, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle salt over dough. Using 1 hand, knead dough by rotating bowl 1/4 turn at a time, scooping dough from sides and folding down into center until dough starts to come away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes. Scrape dough from hand and sides of bowl. Cover bowl with towel; let dough rest 20 minutes.
• Rotating bowl 1/4 turn at a time, fold dough over onto itself 6 times; turn dough over in bowl. Cover with towel and let dough rest in bowl 20 minutes.
• Bake bread:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle work surface with additional semolina. Turn dough out onto semolina. Using pastry scraper or large knife, cut dough in half; keep halves separated. Let stand, uncovered, 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets with additional semolina. Transfer each dough half, semolina side up, to 1 sheet. Stretch each dough half to 16x4-inch rectangle. Press fingertips into dough in several places to dimple surface (characteristic of this bread). Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Double-wrap in aluminum foil to freeze.)