Fast Easy Delicious Italian Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients

• 500 g Wheat flour (type 650, bread flour) (High‑protein flour for better gluten development)
• 7 g Dry yeast (Instant or active dry yeast)
• 400 ml Water (Room temperature)
• 9 g Salt (Fine sea salt)

Instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients

   Place the wheat flour in the mixing bowl and whisk it to aerate. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the flour.

   Time: PT5M

2. Add wet ingredients and mix

   Add the room‑temperature water and salt. Using a spatula, mix until no dry flour remains. If dry spots appear at the bottom, sprinkle a little water and continue mixing.

   Time: PT5M

3. First rest

   Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

4. First fold

   Moisten your hands with water (no oil). Fold the dough from the outside toward the centre, turning it over a few times.

   Time: PT5M

5. Bulk fermentation

   Cover the dough again and let it rest at room temperature until its volume roughly doubles (about 1 hour).

   Time: PT1H

6. Shape the loaves

   Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle without crushing it, fold as shown, then divide into two equal pieces. Shape each piece by bringing the ends together to form a loose oval.

   Time: PT10M

7. Second rest

   Cover the shaped loaves and let them rest for 35 minutes (30‑40 min) until they puff slightly.

   Time: PT35M

8. Preheat oven

   While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 220 °C (428 °F).

   Time: PT15M

9. Bake

   Place the loaves on a baking sheet and bake for 15‑17 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped.

   Time: PT17M

   Temperature: 220°C

10. Cool

    Remove the loaves from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

460

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

88 g

Fat

0.5 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Wheat flour (type 650, bread flour): All‑purpose flour (use 5% more)
• Instead of Dry yeast: Fresh yeast (use 15 g)
• Instead of Salt: Kosher salt (use 12 g)

Equipment Needed

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
• Oven
• Baking sheet or loaf pan
• Rolling pin (optional)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Oven thermometer (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Mix until no dry flour remains
• First rest (30 min)
• Bulk fermentation until volume doubles
• Gentle shaping without deflating the dough
• Baking at high temperature for a crisp crust

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement; spoon the flour into the cup and level it.
• A quick splash of water on the oven floor creates steam, giving the ciabatta its signature open crumb.
• For an extra‑fluffy interior, perform a second fold (turn) after the first 30‑minute rest.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Wrap tightly in plastic and store up to 3 days.

Freezer: Freeze wrapped loaves for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before reheating.

Room temperature: Best eaten the same day; keep in a paper bag for up to 24 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• After the first bulk fermentation, you can refrigerate the dough overnight for a slower rise and deeper flavor.
• Shape the loaves, freeze them raw, and bake directly from frozen, adding 3‑4 minutes to the baking time.