Recipe: Ciabatta Bread and Sourdough Ciabatta (Italian Bread) for Bread Machine

Several recipes for Jean.

Ciabatta Bread

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Place ingredients into the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the Dough cycle, and Start. Dough will be quite sticky and wet once cycle is completed, resist the temptation to add more flour. Place dough on a lightly floured board, cover with a large bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Lightly flour or use parchment lined baking sheets. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into a 13x14 inch oval. Place loaves on prepared sheets, dimple surface, and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degres F. Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, spritz loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.

Sourdough Ciabatta (Italian Bread)
Sponge: I use my sourdough starter in place of making a sponge.

Dough:
1 cup sourdough starter, room temperature
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon diastatic malt
1 teaspoon instant yeast (I use Red Star Instant Active Dry Yeast)

Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine. Select dough setting and press start. When dough cycle has finished, dough will be very soft (between a batter and a runny dough). Remove dough from pan and place into a oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in at room temperature approximately 1 1/2 hours or until tripled in bulk (dough will be sticky and full of bubbles).

On a baking sheet, place a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle parchment paper with semolina flour. Turn the risen dough onto a flour dusted work surface. Pat dough (do not punch down) into a rectangle and dust with flour. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Press fingertips into dough in several places to dimple surface. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

At least 45 minutes before baking, place baking stones on lowest oven rack in oven and set the temperature to 500 F. Allow the oven to heat for 30 minutes.

Lower oven temperature to 400 F. Transfer loaf (with parchment paper) to the hot baking stones. Bake 15 minutes or until pale golden. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 1 loaf.