I have a confession to make… I’m obsessed with Ciabatta bread! For me it’s the holy grail of loafs. So here’s a gourmet recipe for homemade ciabatta bread that works in a high-heat pizza oven. This recipe focuses on a high-hydration dough for that signature open crumb (air holes).
This recipe uses a poolish (a pre-ferment) to develop deep flavor.
Grilled Ciabatta Loaf
Equipment
- KitchenAid® Blender
- Rubber spatula
- Pizza oven, such as a Gozney or Ooni
Ingredients
- 4 cups Bread Flour
- 1¾ Cups Warm Water
- 1 tsp Instant Yeast
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
The Poolish (Pre-Ferment)
- Combine the All-Purpose Flour, Water, and Instant Dry Yeast (the poolish ingredients) in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it sit at cool room temperature for 12–16 hours, or until it is bubbly, has doubled in size, and is starting to collapse slightly in the center.
The Final Dough
- Mix: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the poolish, flour, warm water, and yeast. Mix on low speed (or by hand with a wooden spoon) until the ingredients are just combined—it will be a very wet, sticky mess.
- Rest (Autolyse): Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate before adding the salt.
- Add Salt & Knead: Add the salt and mix the dough on medium-low for 8-10 minutes (or mix and knead vigorously by hand for 15 minutes). The dough will remain sticky, but it should become slightly smoother and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Bulk Fermentation (Fold & Rest): Lightly oil a large, clear container. Transfer the dough to the container. This stage is crucial for developing the ciabatta's structure.Initial Rest: 30 minutesFolds: Perform a set of stretch-and-folds every $30 text{min}$ for a total of 3 or 4 times. (To fold: wet your hands, grab the dough from one side, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the container and repeat for all four sides.)Total Time: The bulk fermentation will take about 2-3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume and is very bubbly.
Shaping and Baking
- Divide: Generously flour your work surface with semolina flour or regular flour. Carefully scrape the dough out of the container—do not punch it down! Divide the dough into 2 or 3 equal rectangles.
- Final Proof (Chill): Gently stretch each rectangle slightly. Place them on a piece of parchment paper or a flat baking tray sprinkled heavily with semolina flour. Cover lightly with plastic wrap.
- Pizza Oven Prep: Preheat your pizza oven until the floor temperature is around 600 degrees to 700 degrees F.
- Bake: Slide the ciabatta loaves (on the parchment paper or directly onto a lightly floured peel) into the oven. The cooking time will be fast!
- Bake for about 3-5 minutes, rotating as needed to ensure even browning. The high heat should cause the bread to puff up dramatically.
- Cool: The bread is done when the crust is a deep golden-brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @thewoodfiredude on Instagram.