Easy Authentic Italian Ciabatta Bread Recipe (3 Ingredients) by Bill Heleine

This homemade ciabatta bread recipe might take a while to make, but the flavor is worth the wait! Ciabatta is an Italian bread that can be used in so many different ways. It's delicious just spread with butter or dipped in olive oil, or use it for pizza or sandwiches. 

The authentic three-ingredient Italian ciabatta bread recipe has simple ingredients: bread flour, dry yeast, water for the starter. Add bread flour, salt and water, and you're on your way to a wonderful bread dough. This will be your new favorite bread recipe!

Ciabatta bread is chewy and slightly crispy. So delicious! Don't be intimidated by baking bread. This ciabatta bread recipe is simple to make.

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 6+ hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 6 1/2 hours (approximately)
Servings: 30 (makes 3 loaves)

Ingredients

Starter 

• 2 cups bread flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast (instant and regular both work)
• 1 cup water (between 110 and 115 degrees F)

Dough

• 5 - 6 cups bread flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups water (110 to 115 degrees F)

For Greasing

• 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil

Here's how to make it: 

1. First we make the starter. In a medium bowl, mix water and yeast. If using regular yeast, wait 10 minutes or so until yeast has creamy texture. If using instant yeast, just mix yeast and water straight into flour in the next step. (Make sure your water is not too hot or it will kill the yeast.)
2. Mix flour and water and yeast mixture into bowl to form sticky and loose dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 3 or 4 hours. You can also make this the night before and let it sit overnight.
3. Once the starter rests it will be bubbly. Pour 2 more cups of warm water into it a little at a time. Scrape along the edge of the bowl with a spatula. 
4. Pour mixture into a stand mixer bowl with an oiled dough hook. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, and continue to mix while slowly adding flour. Add salt with last cup of flour. Mix on medium for 10 minutes. Then mix on high for 10 more minutes. Dough should pull away from sides of the mixing bowl.
5. Transfer to dough to a bowl greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 40 to 50 minutes.
6. Dip a spatula in warm water. Fold dough from outside to center. Do this seven to 10 times. Using hands raise dough out of bowl and until it starts to fold over and put back in bowl. Turn bowl 90 degrees and do this again. Cover again and let rise for another 40 to 50 minutes. Repeat spatula folds and lifting folds again.
7. Generously sprinkle work surface with flour, and let dough slide onto it by flipping bowl upside down. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, and gently form dough to a rectangle. Cut dough into three elongated loaves. I use a bench scraper to do this. Generously sprinkle three kitchen hand towels with flour. Transfer one loaf to center of each towel and cover by folding towel ends over each one.
8. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F while bread is resting in towel. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and sprinkle paper with flour. Flip each loaf gently from towels onto parchment paper. Spray the oven with warm water right before you place it in oven to create steam.
9. Bake for 450 degrees F for 10 minutes without opening the oven. Leave bread in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees F and then bake for another 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. A serrated knife is best for cutting bread. Keep it sharp! Store the bread in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
   

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