Easy Homemade Ciabatta Bread

I'm not a veteran bread maker, so when I took on a self-imposed challenge to make ciabatta bread, I went into a bit of a panic, thinking that I would end up with an inedible, brick-like loaf. My fears were confirmed after reading that ciabatta bread is not the best choice for beginner bread makers (very small margin of error). So I put on my research cap, and came up with this simple recipe that even a bread-making novice like me couldn't possibly mess up. The end result was a fantastic, firm-crusted, soft-in-the-middle, chewy bread that is perfect for sandwiches, toast, dipping in soup, or just on its own. I will surely be adding this to my list of go-to recipes.


Ciabatta Bread


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Ingredients


4 cups unbleached, white flour
2 cups warm water 
1/4 tsp. active, dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. dill weed


Directions


One secret to making good bread is to time the process well. Prepare the dough at night, then bake the dough the next morning (or mid afternoon, depending on what time you prepared the dough). When ready to make the dough, pour 2 cups of warm water into a large bowl. The water should be about 105-115 degrees. You can do a finger test for the water temperature if you don't have a thermometer handy. The water should be warm, but not so warm that you can't run your finger through it. Add 1/4 tsp. of active, dry yeast to the water, and mix well so that the yeast dissolves. Wait about 5 minutes, then add 4 cups of flour, and mix well. Then add 1 1/2 tsp. of salt. Mix the dough well with a wooden spoon. The salt needs to be added at the end (after the flour) because the salt can slow the yeast's fermentation (or reproductive) activities. In addition, if there is too much salt in dough, the bread could potentially have a reduced volume. 


Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and seal with a large elastic band around the bowl. Let the dough rise overnight for 12 hours in a warm, dry place. The next day, remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and transfer the dough to a wooden cutting board, sprinkled with flour. Kneed the dough slightly and shape into a loosely formed oval shape. Transfer the dough onto a greased cookie sheet and cover with a small towel for 30 minutes to rise. Remove the towel, and brush the top of the dough with melted butter and dill weed (optional herb). Place the dough in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the bread for the last 5 minutes of baking to prevent over baking (ovens can vary greatly when it comes to temperature). Remove the bread from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature. 


Hungry for more? 
Ciabatta bread, when a few days old, can be used to make French Toast or even croutons.


Happy eating!