Spicy Tuscan Ciabatta Recipes

CIABATTA BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium size bowl add water and dry yeast. Wait 10 minutes until the yeast is fully dissolved and has a "creamy' texture.
• Mix in the flour. You should get a very loose and sticky dough. It should have consistency thick enough not to come off from the spoon as, say, sour cream or greek yogurt, but wet enough so that it's impossible to knead it by hand.
• Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let the dough rest at a room temperature for 3-4 hrs or overnight. I just don't recommend leaving biga for more than 24 hrs as the yeast will start to over-mature and loose its power.
• Once biga is rested it will become bubbly and might become even looser when you left it. Now pour lukewarm water in the bowl, going around the edges of the bowl and pouring small portions at a time. This is how we hydrate and aerate biga even more at the same time liberating it from the bowl.
• Pour biga and wate mix into a bowl of a standing mixer, oil the dough hook.Turn on your mixer on low speed, knead for a 1-2 minutes and start adding flour.
• In the last portion of flour (approx 1cup) add salt and mix it into the flour. Add to the dough.Knead on medium speed for 10 minutes. You'll notice the dough starting changing its texture. Becoming more smooth and starting to climb up the hook. Increase mixer speed to high and knead for another 10 minutes. If you mixer bowl is large enough you'll see the dough coming off the bowl sides. That's a perfect sign the dough is ready and has developed strong gluten.You would be able to tell just from the look that it's very silky and shiny.
• Transfer the dough to a big oiled bowl, so that there is enough space for the bread to double or triple.Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at a room temperature for about 40-50 minutes.
• After the first 40-50 minutes the dough will double in size. Deep a silicon spatula in a water and start folding the dough onto itself, from the outside to the center of the bowl. You should be able to make 6-10 folds.
• Do it gently, so that the dough becomes well aerated and not deflated.Now using both hands, rise the dough from the bowl letting it fold, turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold in the same manner again. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 40-50 minutes.
• Repeat this last folding process once again and let the dough rest for the last 40-50 minutes.
• Once it's perfectly bubbly and screams to get out of the bowl, GENEROUSLY sprinkle the working surface with the flour. You'll regret if you wouldn't. The dough is veery sticky, but that's the secret for gorgeous light and airy ciabatta bread.
• Flip the bowl upside down and let the dough "slide" off of the bowl by itself.
• Sprinkle your scrapers and top of the dough with flour again. Constantly assisting with the scrapers give it a rectangular shape. Cut into elongated loaves or individual rolls. You can make the rolls either square or triangle and they are HEAVEN for panini.
• Generously sprinkle linen cloth with flour and using large dough scrapers transfer the bread loaves onto it. Separate each loaf with a towel fold (see the pictures) or use individual towel for each of the loaves.
• Turn on the oven to 450F while ciabatta bread rests on the towel.
• After 10-15 minutes flip ciabatta loaves over on parchment paper sprinkled with semolina or corn flour (to prevent bread from sticking).
• Just before you put the bread into the oven, spray the oven generously with cold water to create as much steam as you can. Steam really helps ciabatta bread to cook perfectly both on the inside and outside.
• Bake ciabatta for 20-25 minutes without EVER opening the oven. After 10 minutes in the oven reduce the heat to 400F. When it's golden brown, or may seem even slightly burned that is it. Your ciabatta bread has just reached its perfection and all you have left is let it cool for 15-20 on the wire rack.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN CIABATTA BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl 1/4 cup of water, honey and yeast, let sit 5 minutes then stir.
• 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 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a wettish dough). Mix together with a wood spoon, when almost mixed add the salt and combine. The dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
• Cover the bowl with a large tea towel, place in a warm, draft free area and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
• Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C), line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
• 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.
• 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 vapor or add the pan when pre-heating the oven and 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!

SMOKED TURKEY SANDWICHES WITH SPICY AIOLI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the ciabatta rolls on a rimmed baking sheet with the cut side facing upwards. Bake until lightly toasted, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Arrange the bread, toasted side up, on a work surface and divide the spicy aioli on all the halves evenly. On each of the bottom halves place 1 slice of cheese, ripping in half if necessary to make the cheese fit the bread. On top of the cheese, layer the peppers, followed by the turkey. Divide the basil evenly on each of the top halves, pressing slightly to adhere to the aioli. Place the tops of the sandwiches on, then cut the sandwiches diagonally and serve.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, chili paste and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate aioli until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

SPICY TUSCAN CIABATTA

Steps:

• Slice the ciabatta loaf lengthwise.
• Prepare the sandwich by evenly layering the ingredients in this order, from the bottom up: Bottom slice of bread, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, mixed greens, salami, provolone, roasted red peppers, sopressata, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, top of loaf.
• Be sure each layer goes right to the ends of the bread.
• It's even ok if they hang over a bit.
• Wrap sandwich tightly in plastic cling wrap with no openings.
• Place on counter and press down entire loaf with a heavy cast iron pan or a couple of large books.
• Let sit at least 4 hours to let the oil and vinegar mingle with the other layers.
• Remove plastic wrap and, using a very sharp bread knife, cut into 2" squares or triangles.
• Secure each slice with a toothpick and serve.

ITALIAN CIABATTA

Steps:

• BIGA (Italian Starter):.
• Mix the biga ingredients, in a small bowl until well combinedL.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest for up to 15 hours.
• It will expand and become bubbly so leave room in the bowl for it to expand.
• CIABATTA DOUGH:.
• Place all of the dough ingredients together with the biga into the bowl of your mixer or bread pan of your bread machine.
• Beat at medium speed (mixer) using the flat.beater (not dough hook), for 5-8 minutes.
• The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it'll begin to acquire some shape. The dough will be very wet.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy.
• Midway through the rising period, gently deflate the dough and turn it over in the bowl; this will help it rise, and will also strengthen its gluten, making it easier to shape.
• (Note: If using the dough cycle on bread mahine, check the consistency after 10 minutes (it should be very tacky, but should be holding its shape somewhat), adding more flour or water s needed. Midway through the rising period, gently deflate the dough and turn it over in the bowl; this will help it rise, and will also strengthen its gluten, making it easier to shape. Allow the dough to rest an additional 30 minutes after the dough cycle ends).
• Which ever method you use. your dough will be wet and sticky, but don't worry, it's suppose to look like that.
• Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface.
• Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands.
• Using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half.
• Handling the dough gently,; stretch it into a log about10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet.
• Flatten the log with your fingers till it's about is about 10 inches long and 4-5 inches wide.
• Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
• Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough.
• Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.
• At this point, the dough will be very puffy; it should jiggle like gelatin when you very gently shake it.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Spray the loaves very heavily with water, and dust them lightly with flour (if desired).
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
• Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return them to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches.
• Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give them a very crisp crust.
• Your bread should have large, irregular holes, ideal for trapping the olive oil/balsamic drizzle.

TUSCAN SAUSAGE, KALE & CIABATTA STUFFING

Steps:

• Soak all but one handful of the bread chunks in the milk and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the onions with the fennel and chilli flakes (if using) for 10 mins until softened. Add the garlic and the cavelo nero or kale and cook for 5 mins until softened, adding more oil if needed. Leave to cool.
• Tip the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients (aside from the handful of bread) into a large bowl, season generously and use your hands to scrunch everything together really well. Scatter the stuffing into a shallow roasting tin or baking dish. Can be kept in the fridge for up to two days before baking. Top the stuffing with the remaining torn bread. To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake for 30-35 mins until the top is crispy.