Ciabatta Bread

 Ciabatta bread is one of my favorites to make, it fun and tasty to eat!  Bread has so many wonderful qualities when fresh baked, the first and most obvious is the aroma, simply intoxicating!  I found this recipe a number of years ago and it has served me well.  

Ciabatta                                                                                                                                                 Makes 4 Loaves

Biga – Preferment made the day before (8 to 24 hour fermentation)

10 oz. Bread flour                                                                                                                                   
¼-teaspoon Instant OR Active dry yeast                                                                                                     
8 oz water, at room temperature

To make the biga:

Combine the flour, yeast, and water in a medium bowl. If using active dry yeast combine the yeast and water together and let stand for 5 minutes before adding the flour. Stir together until a uniform mass form, about 1 minute. Place biga in a 8 qt cambro with lid or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature ( 70 degrees F)  overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours).

Final Dough -

20 oz Bread flour                                                                                                                                          1 teaspoon instant OR active dry yeast                                                                                            

1 Tablespoon salt                                                                                                                                          12 oz Water, at room temperature                                                                                                                  4 oz Milk, at room temperature

To make the final dough:

Place the biga (made the day before) and ingredients for the final dough in a 12 qt Hobart mixing bowl. If using active dry yeast, first combine the yeast with the room temperature water and let sit for 5-10 minutes before adding to the rest of the ingredients.

Mix on lowest speed with paddle attachment until roughly combined and shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute; scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue mixing on first speed until the dough becomes a uniform mass that collects on the dough hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4-6 minutes. Change to a dough hook and mix on second speed until the dough is smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes (dough will still be very sticky). Transfer to a oiled proof box or metal bowl covered and let rise at room temperature until double in volume, about 1 hour.

Spray bowl scrapper with nonstick cooking spray; partially fold risen dough over itself by gently lifting and fold edge of dough towards middle. Turn bowl or proof box 90 degrees and fold again, edge of the dough to the middle of the dough. Turn dough again and fold dough 6 more times (total of 8 turns). Cover again and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat folds (8 turns total) and let rise till double in volume, about 30 minutes longer.

Preheat convection steam oven to 450 F at least 30 minutes before baking. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.

Turn dough out onto well-floured table. Gently shape dough into a rectangle and cut into quarters. Gently press each rectangle out to 12 X 6 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds and place seam side down onto a parchment lined half sheet pan. Shape the rest of the dough the same and place two loaves on each parchment lined sheet pan. Dust tops with flour and cover with plastic wrap. Proof for 20-30 minutes at 80 degrees F. Evenly dimple each loaf after proofing pressing out to a 10 X 6 rectangle. Place in convection steam oven and give 5-10 seconds of steam. Bake, steaming loaves 2 more times during the first 10 minutes, until crust is a deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 210 F, about 25-30 minutes.