This ciabatta is perfect with soft cheese, prosciuta or just a drop of olive oil
Sometimes the most delicious things in life are not born out of effort, but out of patience. The perfect ciabatta is exactly like that. Airy, with a golden crust and perforated flesh, it’s made for long breakfasts, homemade sandwiches and moments when you want something delicious.
This recipe is a godsend for those who dream of flavourful baked goods without the hassle. Thanks to long ripening in the fridge, the dough develops gluten on its own and acquires that special structure that is characteristic of real Italian bread. How to cook it properly is told on the bakedbylaora page.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- Room temperature water 420 ml
- Wheat flour 550g
- Salt 1 tbsp
- Fresh yeast 10g
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, dissolve the salt and yeast in the water. Then add the flour and mix gently with your hands or a spoon until the dry lumps disappear. There is no need to knead – just combine.
- Cover the bowl with a towel or food film. Leave the dough for 30 mins at room temperature. During this time it will work – air bubbles will form.
- After half an hour, soak your hands in water. Carefully lift one edge of the dough, stretch and fold into the centre. Turn the bowl over and repeat this movement on the other side – this is called stretching and folding. Do this three times at 30 min intervals. After that, cover the dough and put it in the fridge – at least overnight, maximum 24 hours.
- The next morning, take the dough out of the fridge. Sprinkle the work surface generously with flour and carefully transfer the dough, being careful not to destroy the air pockets. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and cut into 4 level rectangles.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Transfer the ciabattas to a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 20-25 mins – until crispy, browned. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.
This ciabatta is perfect with soft cheese, prosciuta or just a drop of olive oil. It is so light that it feels like a cloud rather than a dough.
