Recipe for Ciabatta Bread

My "quest" to find a recipe for Ciabatta bread started when my husband and I went on a date in the spring of 2009. Until that time I had never heard of ciabatta bread.

We went to lunch at a restaurant where we were served some very tasty and wonderful sandwiches. And I am sure you guessed it already, the bread the sandwiches were made with was Ciabatta bread.

How to pronounce Ciabatta?

Well...like this "Cha-bah-ttah" or "ch" as in Church, A as in apple, and Bah, and tah. With a little practice, the word Ciabatta will just roll off your tongue I promise.

Ciabatta is an Italian bread. The word "Ciabatta" in Italian actually means "slipper" or "old shoe" and it refers to the shape of the Ciabatta loaves.

After this lunch date, I decided I wanted to try to re-create those sandwiches at home and the first step was - of course - to make my own Ciabatta bread.

Finding a recipe for Ciabatta bread was not an easy task. However, after "tinkering" with various recipes, I am quite satisfied with the results of this Ciabatta bread recipe and I pray you will be as well.

Now, I'll be very honest with you.

This Italian bread is wonderful...it is hearty, the crust reminds me of French bread in texture, the bread is flavorful and really a great asset to any meal...but I don't make it too often because this recipe for Ciabatta bread is time consuming and you must remember to start the dough the day before...a process I often forget until too late. I agree with you...my own fault.

Nevertheless, I hope you will not be deterred by my own inadequacies. Why don't you give this Ciabatta bread recipe a try and then, let me know what you think.

Ciabatta bread recipe - Read others' comments and reviews.

Ingredients For This Recipe For Ciabatta Bread

Directions For Making The Sponge

Mix the water and the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will turn foamy.

Add the flour and mix until well blended.

Cover with some plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 1 day.

The next day the sponge will look like this.

Directions For The Recipe For Ciabatta Bread

Mix the yeast and the milk and let stand about five minutes until foamy.

Add this yeast mixture to the sponge with all the other ingredients and mix. I use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.

When it is well mixed, put the dough in a pre-oiled bowl. Rotate to coat, and let rise until doubled. This process will take 1 to 2 hours.

The Dough Will Look Like This After It has Risen

Punch the dough down, turn it onto a floured surfaced and cut into two pieces.

Form the dough into an oval and with your fingers make "dimples" into the bread.

Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour.

Place some wax paper on top of a stainless steel cookie sheet, place your dough on top and cover with a damp cloth until it has doubled in size. This process will take 1 to 2 hours.

Note: I also sprinkle mine with black pepper sometimes.

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Bake the bread for about 20 minutes until it is golden brown in color.

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