Ciabatta

Ciabatta, which means "slipper" in Italian, is a rustic bread known for its wonderfully open, airy crumb and a thin, crisp crust. It's a high-hydration dough, which can be tricky to work with, but the reward is a light, chewy texture that's perfect for sandwiches, bruschetta, or simply dipping in olive oil. This recipe uses a "biga," a type of pre-ferment, which is prepared the day before to develop a deep, complex flavor in the final loaf. While it requires some planning, the hands-on time is minimal, and the result is a truly authentic, artisan-style bread that will impress everyone. The wet, slack nature of ciabatta dough is what gives it its characteristic large, irregular holes in the crumb. Don’t be tempted to add too much extra flour; you have to learn to work with the stickiness. Using a stand mixer is highly recommended for this recipe, as the long kneading time required to develop the gluten in such a wet dough would be very difficult by hand. The "stretch and fold" technique is also crucial for building strength in the dough without traditional kneading. This recipe will guide you through all the steps to create a beautiful, rustic loaf that will transport you to a bakery in Italy.