Ciabatta

Pre-dough

1. In a bowl, mix the flour and dry yeast.

2. Add water and mix – don’t knead.

3. Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film, and leave it at room temperature for 8–12 hours.

Main dough

1. In a larger bowl, mix flour, water, salt and dry yeast.

2. Add the pre-dough and mix.

3. Use the kitchen robot to knead the dough, as its high hydration levels make it very sticky.

1. Knead it for around 10 minutes, then cover the bowl with a plastic shower cap or damp cloth.

2. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

3. After the proving, grasp the dough in the bowl at one edge with your fingers, pull it away and then fold it over the top of the dough. Work the dough from all sides using this pulling and folding technique.

4. Do this 5 times at 30-minute intervals, taking 2 hours in total.

5. Cover the dough each time you finish pulling and folding it over.

Shaping and baking

1. Turn the dough over onto a generously flour-dusted worksurface.

2. Sprinkle it with flour on the top side , and then thoroughly flour two pastry scrapers.

3. Use them to form the dough into a large rectangle, then cut it in half with one of the scrapers.

4. By turning down the edges on both halves, form two rectangular ciabattas.

1. Transfer bothciabattas onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

2. Cover them with cling film and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 230ºC, then place a metal dish with half a litre of boiling water into it.

1. Bake the ciabattas for 20–25 minutes.

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