Ciabatta

Ciabatta means “slipper” in Italian, a reference to its low, wide shape. The bread’s characteristic thin crust and open, airy crumb are products of high hydration, meaning that the dough contains a high ratio of water to flour. The resulting mixture is wet and requires a different approach to gluten development than stiffer, more conventional bread doughs. Time is a key ingredient: it allows the flour to slowly absorb water while yeast works in tandem, creating CO2 that begins inflating and strengthening gluten networks. Simultaneously, the dough’s flavor improves via fermentation. We perform a series of stretches and folds on the dough, which slowly and gently builds gluten in a way that an electric mixer cannot. With each stretch and fold, you’ll feel the dough develop strength and tension while becoming more cohesive. Another factor that’s essential for ciabatta’s crisp crust is steam. You’ll need a spray bottle filled with water to spritz the bread before it goes into the oven, as well as after five minutes of baking. This keeps its surface moist, discouraging crust formation and letting the loaf expand. It won’t begin forming a crust until later, ensuring the crust is thin and crackly, not thick or tough. You’ll also need a rectangular steel or stone on which to bake the ciabatta. They’re extremely efficient at conducting high heat evenly, ensuring that the loaf gets good oven spring, as well as a crisp crust. And a pizza peel is the easiest way to shuttle the loaves in and out of the oven.