Ciabatta Bread Recipe
Ciabatta is Italy's beloved slipper-shaped loaf, famous for its crackling golden crust and soft, hole-filled crumb. This homemade version uses a wet, sticky dough and a slow rise to give you bakery-style results from your own oven.
- Prep time
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Cook time
- 25 mins
- Total time
- 1 hr 55 mins
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Calories
- 210
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 400 ml lukewarm water
- 10 g instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- Semolina or extra flour, for dusting
- Flour, for dusting the work surface
- A tray of boiling water, for oven steam
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the lukewarm water and olive oil to form a very wet, sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl and rest the dough for 20 minutes, then stretch and fold it four times, turning the bowl after each fold.
- Repeat the stretch-and-fold process twice more at 20-minute intervals, keeping the dough covered between folds.
- Cover and leave the dough to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour until doubled in size and bubbly.
- Turn the dough gently onto a well-floured surface, handling it as little as possible to keep the air bubbles intact.
- Divide it into two rough rectangles, place them on a baking tray dusted with semolina, and rest for 20 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden and crisp, with a hollow sound when tapped underneath.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing so the crumb sets properly.
Pro tips
- A wet dough is normal for ciabatta; resist adding extra flour or the crumb will turn dense.
- A tray of boiling water at the bottom of the oven creates steam and gives a crisper crust.
- Handle the dough gently after rising to preserve the large, irregular holes inside.
- Ciabatta is best eaten the day it is baked, but it toasts beautifully the next day.
Frequently asked questions
Why is ciabatta dough so sticky?
Ciabatta uses a high proportion of water, which creates its signature open, airy crumb. Use wet hands or a dough scraper instead of adding flour when handling it.
Do I need a bread machine or stand mixer?
No, this recipe is made entirely by hand using stretch-and-fold technique, which builds strength in the dough without kneading.
How do I store homemade ciabatta?
Keep it in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or slice and freeze it for up to a month, then toast slices straight from frozen.
Can I use plain flour instead of bread flour?
Bread flour gives a better rise and chewier crumb because of its higher protein content, but plain flour will still produce a tasty loaf with a slightly softer texture.
