Easy ciabatta

Name: Easy ciabatta
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 7g sachet dried instant yeast; 4 cups (600g) bread and pizza flour (strong flour); Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle; Artichoke hearts, olives, shaved zucchini, bocconcini, goat’s cheese and basil leaves, to serve

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by Silvia Colloca

Cook and author

Apr 10, 2016

For those in a rush, try this foolproof ciabatta. Its the perfect bread recipe for bread-baking beginners - producing soft bread with a tasty crust, and you don't even have to knead it.

7g sachet dried instant yeast
4 cups (600g) bread and pizza flour (strong flour)
Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
Artichoke hearts, olives, shaved zucchini, bocconcini, goat’s cheese and basil leaves, to serve

Method

1.

Place yeast, 3 cups (450g) flour, 360ml water and 2 tsp salt in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl (dough will be quite wet). Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside at room temperature for 2-3 hours until doubled in size.
2.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a saucepan on the bottom of the oven with a rack above it. Flour a baking paper-lined baking tray with 1/2 cup (75g) flour. Gently turn out dough onto tray.
3.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup (75g) flour. Shape dough into a long oval. Carefully pour a glass of cold water into the hot pan to create steam (this helps the bread expand before forming a crust), then place ciabatta on rack above pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until bread is risen, golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
4.

Serve ciabatta with artichokes, olives, zucchini, cheeses and basil leaves.