Recipe#2516

Title: Ciabatta 02

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 From: dharris@ingres.co.uk (Dave Harris) 
 Subject: Ciabatta recipie 
 Message-ID: <2qd3l7$htu@donald.uk.ingres.com> 
 Date: 6 May 1994 09:46:15 -0000 

100g/4oz strong white organic flour
 85ml/3floz water
 1 packet activated yeast
 1kg/2lb strong white flour
 700ml/24floz water
 1 level tablespoon salt
 Combine the flour, water and yeast in a bowl.  Cover with clingfilm,
 and leave to ferment in fridge for 24 hours.
 In a mixing bowl blend the starter dough with the flour, water and
 salt.  With a metal spoon stir till dough is elastic. When it gets
 too stiff to turn, move the bowl around the spoon. You can use an
 electric blender on a slow speed for 30 second to get it started.
 Cover with oiled clingfilm, and leave for 1 1/2 hours till doubled
 in size.
 Turn the dough into an oiled, 8in square, deep sided tin. Cover
 with oiled clingfilm, and leave to rise for 1 1/2 hours till doubled
 in size.
 The critical stage. take 2 sheets of baking paper, cut into rectangles
 15in by 4in, and sprinkle with flour. Turn out the runny drough
 with well floured hands and cut into 2 rectangles. Flatten onto
 the sheets of baking paper.  Then lift up the long edge of each
 strip of dough, and fold lenghtwise along the top so that the top
 one-third sits on the bottom two-thirds. Sprinkle with flour, to
 prevent sticking, and lightly cover with a floured cloth.  Leave
 to rise for 45 minutes.
 Slide a large metal tray into the middle of your oven and pre-heat
 to 425F/ 220C/Gas 7. Prepare 2 'peels' or bases to support the
 delicate dough when you transport it to the oven. I use 2 pieces
 of stiff cardboard, cut to 15in by 4in. Place 2 more sheets of
 floured baking paper ( cut to the same size) on the peels. Gently
 invert the 2 dough shapes on to their new bases.  Leave uncovered
 for 15 minutes to recover. 
 To bake: spray the dough with water, using a plant-spray, and spray
 the inside of the oven. The moisture prevents the dough from forming
 a skin too soon. Supporting each ciabatta with the cardboard peel,
 slide onto the heated oven tray.  Spray 3 or 4 more times while
 the bread continues to rise. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The crust will
 be crisp when done and the loaf should make a hollow sound when
 you tap on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack. These loaves
 freeze superbly, if you dont want to eat them at once.
 Instead of 2 large ciabatta loaves, you can make 4 smaller ones,
 cutting the dough into 4 instead of 2, using 4 sheets of baking
 paper, 4 peels, and probably 2 oven trays. reduce baking time to
 25-30 minutes.
 VARIATIONS.
 For a soft in stead of crusty finish, add a tablespoon or 2 of
 extra-virgin olive oil to the dough.
 For a soft,sweet crumb, replace some of the water with milk ( about
 5 tablespoons).
 For a sweet golden crust, add a teaspoon of malt extract.