CIABATTA · ADVANCED
Sourdough Ciabatta
Wet-dough Italian slipper loaf — wildly open crumb, crispy shell.
45 min
Prep
17h
Rest
25 min
Bake
2 ciabattas
Yield
Advanced
Difficulty
Total time: 18h
Ingredients
Steps
1
Autolyse flour and water. ⏱ 1 hour
2
Develop with coil folds. ⏱ 2.5 hours
3
Bulk fermentation. ⏱ 2.5 hours
4
Divide gently. ⏱ 10 min
5
Bake with steam. ⏱ 25 min
Step-by-step baking
1
Autolyse Mix flour and 360 g water; rest 1 h to build hydration and strength. ⏱ 1 hour
2
Develop Add starter, salt, oil, and water. Perform 5 coil folds every 30 min. ⏱ 2.5 hours
3
Bulk Ferment at 24°C for 5 h total until very bubbly and jiggly. ⏱ 2.5 hours
4
Divide Turn onto floured surface; cut into 2 slippers without deflating the dough. ⏱ 10 minutes
5
Bake Bake at 240°C with heavy steam for 22–25 min until crisp. ⏱ 25 minutes
Tips
👟 No Shaping
Ciabatta's beauty is its irregular slipper shape — resist the urge to form it.
💨 Steam
Steam is vital for oven spring — use a cast iron pan with boiling water.