An easy bread machine ciabatta recipe for crispy Italian homemade bread. A recipe that is actually very simple and quick to master. It doesn't fail, so try it yourself!
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 30 minutesmins
Rise time and waiting time 14 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Total Time 15 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course Bread Baking, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2breads
Calories 1.067kcal
Ingredients
Biga
⅔cupswater
1½cupall-purpose flour
½teaspoonyeastinstant
Ciabatta dough
⅚cupwater
2tablespoonsmilk
2tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
2½cupall-purpose flourplus extra for dusting
1 ½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonsugar
½teaspoon yeastinstant
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Biga
Pour the water into the bowl of the bread machine, sprinkle flour on top, and then add the yeast.
⅔ cups water, 1½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon yeast
Set the machine to the basic dough mode and mix for 5 minutes.
Turn off the machine and allow the biga to rest for 12 hours.
The biga is ready for use.
First rise
Add the water, milk, and olive oil to the biga.
⅚ cup water, 2 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle flour on top of the liquid.
2½ cup all-purpose flour
In one corner you scoop the yeast. In the opposite corner, do the salt. In the middle put the sugar.
1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon yeast
Set the machine to the basic dough mode and knead the dough and let it rise for the 1st time.
Second rise
Dust two baking sheets with flour.
Divide the dough in half and spread it gently over the plates so that the dough remains as airy as possible. Make sure you have flour on your hands, gently stretch a rectangle of dough (about 1 inch - 2½ cm thick) on each baking plate.
Sprinkle the loaves with flour and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes (do not cover).
Preheat the oven to 430 °F or 400 °F
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the ciabatta is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Allow cooling to room temperature.
NOTES
1. Biga: By making a biga, a pre-dough, your yeast mixture is already started and the rising of the dough will start quickly.2. Sugar: The sugar added to your yeast mixture is yeast “food”. They convert the sugar to oxygen, which makes your bread airy. Don’t discard the sugar.3. Milk-free: Replace the milk with soy milk for lactose-free bread.4. Storage
Room temperature: Store the loaves in a closed box for up to 2 days.
Freezer: Let the bread cool and freeze it for up to a month. Allow to thaw at room temperature.
Tip: Has your bread been lying around for a while, or has it been frozen? Baste with some water and bake for 10 minutes at 320 °F (160 °C) in a preheated oven. The bread becomes wonderfully crispy and fresh again.