Take two on Ciabatta. The first recipe fell flat…flat bread. Admittedly Ciabatta is a flatter bread, but it shouldn’t look like pita. It should have some fluff to it. The first one I did had a lot of good taste due to the starter I used, but just way too flat.
I found this great website for amature bread bakers and someone had developed a Ciabatta recipe. I read the reviews on it and most people have great success with it, so I tried it. I also had great success with it!!
Here is the link to the website http://www.thefreshloaf.com/ and here is the link to the recipe I used http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2984/jasons-quick-coccodrillo-ciabatta-bread
Try it, it’s easy!
The first difference is that there is no starter. The second is that you mix this dough/batter a much longer time. Here is the picture of the batter all mixed. The dough pulls away from the sides and “climbs” up the hook. This is evidence of the gluten forming. Also the way it hangs proves that good gluten formation has occurred.
The reason I call it a dough/batter, is that it is so wet that it acts like a batter. It can be tricky to work with, but don’t be scared.
After you mix it for a seemingly extremely long time you let it rise for 2.5 to 3 hours to let it raise and triple. This long raising time helps the flavor a lot.
After it triples you cut it into three or four pieces and let it rest for 45 minutes and preheat you oven. My oven seems to bake cooler than what it says so I cranked my all the way up to 500.
This is the most tricky, adrenaline inducing part. You gently stretch it into the oblong shape and then FLIP it onto the parchment lined baking sheet. You flip it to redistribute the bubbles inside, but it is scary to do so especially with the slack dough. If it looks a little flat once you flip it’s okay the high heat in the oven helps it spring back…hopefully.
Second try’s the charm I guess! I was so excited to see them turn out so well!
Definately NOT flat thsi time. They were soooooo tasty! They did not last long. I’m not quite sure how to store them so that they stay fresh for awhile. Although, I’m not sure that artesian bread was meant to stay fresh for any length of time.
I tried storing them in a paper bag, but they got too dry too quickly for my taste. I think the best seems to be a plastic bag and then toasting it. The heat brings it right back! So so glad that I found this recipe!
