Video recipe for quick rising, simple Ciabatta bread

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In the past I had tested the recipe for simplified ciabatta bread (no knead), which doesn’t need much handling and has a very slow leavening process (20 hours). I was skeptical, but it turned out very well.

Nicoletta, a Genoese expat like me, suggested another recipe, still very simple, but much quicker to make (2 hours). You can find the original one on her blog The Sunny Kitchen – an Italian Cook in Amsterdam.

I tried it while I was on holiday in the mountains and the bread came out really good. The flavor is different from the slow rising ciabatta bread because, during all those hours the bacteria in the yeast has more time to decompose the starch in the flour. Try it, it’s quick and simple!!! Thanks Nicoletta!

Video recipe for quick rising, simple Ciabatta bread

Tools

Method

• Dissolve the yeast in the water
• Add honey or sugar
• Add ¾ of the flour and mix
• Add salt
• Mix in remaining flour
• You don’t have to overmix, once the flour is  combined the dough is ready.
• Cover and let it sit for 90 minutes away from drafts at a temperature above 25°C (you could just leave the dough in the oven with only the light turned on)
• Sprinkle a little water on the worktop
• Place two pieces of plastic wrap on the worktop
• Sprinkle flour onto plastic wrap
• Put one half of the dough on each piece of plastic wrap
• Mold each piece of dough into a ciabatta shape without tugging it too much or it will gain too much strength
• Grease two baking pans
• Pick up one piece of plastic wrap and flip it over a pan to drop a ciabatta so that the side covered in flour faces upward
• Pre-heat oven to about 200°C
• Put a small pot of hot water in the oven to maintain a high level of humidity
• Bake the ciabatta for 30-35 minutes until golden brown
• Half way through baking, remove the pot of water. The sooner you remove it, the thicker the crust will be on the bread