Sourdough Whole-Wheat Ciabatta

Ciabatta bread is an Italian flatbread that is very much a beginner level kind of bread. No kneading or fancy shaping required. Replacing traditional yeast with sourdough starter gives this beautiful bread a depth of flavor and crispy crust. Whether you choose to go with a traditional freeform flatbread shape or individual ciabatta sandwich buns is up to you. Both are quick and easy to master!

Sourdough Ciabatta

 

Print

Prep time

4 hours

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

4 hours 30 mins

 

Ciabatta is one of my favorite breads to make. It is quick, easy and delivers a satisfying toast.

Author: Welcome2OurTable.com

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Sponge

• 1 pound (2 cups) Water
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) Sourdough Starter
• 1 pound (4 cups) Bread Flour

Add to Sponge

• 3 ounces (1/3 cup) Olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 8 oumces (2 cups)All-purpose flour
• 1¼-1½ cups water

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine sponge ingredients: water, sourdough starter, bread flour.
2. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
3. Use a paddle attachment to add olive oil and salt (or mix in by hand).
4. Let rest for another 30 minutes.
5. Add flour and water, using the water as a variable. The consistency needs to be like thick pancake batter.
6. Perform 3 folds total with about 20 minutes of rest time in between. The dough will stretch and become much more cohesive with each fold.
7. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and dusting with flour.
8. Lay out the dough into an elongated shape, making one large flatbread or you may separate into 2 smaller breads. You may also shape into individual buns by dividing the dough into equal amounts and gently shaping into rounds.
9. Dust with flour on top and set in a warm place to proof for about 1-2 hours.
10. Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Notes

For a whole-grain Ciabatta I used: 10 ounces Hard Red Wheat, 6 ounces Kamut for the bread flour amount. For the all-purpose flour I used: 8 ounces Soft White Wheat

3.5.3251

In a large mixing bowl combine sponge ingredients: water, sourdough starter, bread flour.
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Use a paddle attachment to add olive oil and salt (or mix in by hand).
Let rest for another 30 minutes.

Add flour and water, using the water as a variable. The consistency needs to be like thick pancake batter.

Perform 3 folds total with about 20 minutes of rest time in between. The dough will stretch and become much more cohesive with each fold.

Prepare a baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and dusting with flour.

Lay out the dough into an elongated shape, making one large flatbread or you may separate into 2 smaller breads. You may also shape into individual buns by dividing the dough into equal amounts and gently shaping into rounds.

Dust with flour on top and set in a warm place to proof for about 1-2 hours.

Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Kids enjoy a slice of toast with butter and jam at any time of the day.