Makes: 2 medium loaves
Time: 12 to 28 hours, almost entirely unattended
There is nothing intuitive about making ciabatta. The dough will seem preposterously sticky and wet, shaping it into rectangles will feel like a fool’s errand, and right up until the time the loaves go in the oven they will look flat, scruffy, and sad. Do not worry! Follow this process and you will be rewarded with rustic, light-as-a-feather loaves that have an airy, open crumb and a crust that turns from crackly and crisp when it comes out of the oven to wonderfully chewy as it cools.
Ciabatta dough is so wet that kneading it with your hands (without incorporating way too much flour) is nearly impossible. So you’re going to want a machine. A stand mixer is best because it gives you the most control, but a food processor works too. Ciabatta is the consummate Italian sandwich bread, which means that more often than not I slice the large loaves through their equators, make them into giant sandwiches, then cut them crosswise into smaller pieces.
1. At least 12 hours before you plan to bake the bread, mix together 1 cup of the flour, ⅛ teaspoon of the yeast, and ¾ cup water in a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for anywhere between 8 and 24 hours. This is your sponge (or biga in Italian).
2. Put the sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor along with the remaining 2 cups flour and ½ teaspoon yeast, the salt, milk, and ½ cup water. If you’re using a stand mixer, mix on medium-low speed with the paddle attachment for 3 to 4 minutes, then switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is shiny, supple, and smooth, 10 to 12 minutes. It will be very sticky and wet. If you’re using a food processor, process for 1 minute. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and dump the dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until roughly doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Line a baking sheet with a large piece of parchment paper and dust some flour on top; generously flour your countertop while you’re at it. Turn the dough out onto the counter and dust a little more flour on top. Cut the dough in half and gently (but quickly) scoop each piece onto the baking sheet. Using the tips of your fingers, press each piece of dough into a rectangle roughly 9 × 4 inches, dimpling the surface as you go. Dust the tops with a little more flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise until the dough is puffy and there are air bubbles just beneath the surfaces, another 2 hours.
4. About 45 minutes before the loaves have finished rising, heat the oven to 425°F. If you’re using a baking stone, put it on the center rack while the oven heats. When you’re ready to bake, either pull the piece of parchment (with the loaves on top) directly onto the baking stone (you can remove the parchment once the loaves firm up a bit in the oven), or just put the baking sheet directly in the oven.
5. Mist the inside walls of the oven with water to create steam and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, misting again 2 more times within the first 5 minutes and rotating the loaves once halfway through cooking, until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 200°F on a quick-read thermometer. Remove and cool on a rack.
CIABATTA SANDWICH ROLLS Cut the dough into 16 pieces in Step 3 and shape them into smaller rectangles. Reduce the cooking time to 15 to 20 minutes.