Ciabatta, The Italian Slipper Bread
This was the weekend we’ve been waiting for, since about September. This is the weekend when the pier went in the water, the weekend we tooled around in shorts, the weekend we cleaned some perennial beds. This was the weekend spring finally decided to show up. I say, “Welcome, and better late than never!”
Our great friends, Jeff and Mandi decided to pay us a visit at the cottage this weekend. Making the trek from Green Bay, about an hour north of us, we made the decision to have dinner in and therefore spent a good portion of Saturday putting together some good stuff.
The cottage windows were open and so through them I could hear the boys, outside. There was some lakefront raking going on, the fire pit was alive with burning lawn debris, and poles had been placed in the water, hopelessly early to catch for any fish but our boys were determined to get their outdoor cottage on, and I wasn’t able to blame them even a tiny bit.
The steady breeze coming in from the outdoors was beyond refreshing this of course also added to the mellow energy of the day. George Jones, who the world had lost just one day earlier, crooned throughout, and Ellie our English bull dog spent much of the day snoring gently on her bed. This Saturday proved to be a grand entry for the better weather and that is exactly for what we had been pining.
Ciabatta, The Italian Slipper Bread. From Platter Talk.
Our dinner turned out very nicely, although I only did this Ciabatta, The Italian Slipper Bread and the caesar and a new version of humus, Scott undertook the lion’s share of the cooking and made it seem effortless with delicious results.
We spent the evening catching up, laughing, and ultimately sitting around the big bonfire in front of the moonlit lake. We were friend enjoying a rare stogie together, good wine, and most of all great conversation. This was how Saturday nights were meant to be.
This recipe is one I’ve used before. I’m not an acclaimed bread maker, in fact I consider it one of my most prominent culinary weaknesses. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a master breadsmith for this Ciabatta, The Italian Slipper Bread to turn out well. We served it with some 25 year old balsalmic vinegar and thus it made a great side for a fantastic evening.
There’s no need to be a master baker for this easy Italian standard. Try making this one soon and let us know what you think. We love hearing form our readers and your comments always mean the world to us. -Dan
- ⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons warm water (105°‐115° F.)
- ⅓ cup room-temperature water
- 1 cup bread flour
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons warm milk (105°‐115° F.)
- ⅔ cup room-temperature water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- In a small bowl stir together yeast and warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, room-temperature water, and flour and stir 4 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
- In a small bowl stir together yeast and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened and beat dough at medium speed 3 minutes. Add salt and beat 4 minutes more. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.)
- Have ready a rimless baking sheet and 2 well-floured 12- by 6-inch sheets parchment paper. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1½ to 2 hours.
- At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone or 4 to 6 unglazed "quarry" tiles (see note, above) arranged close together on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425° F. Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone or tiles in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. With a large spatula transfer loaves to a rack to cool.
Beautiful!
I love bread and can’t wait to try this! What else was on the menu?!
Laura,
Thanks for the comment. There was a delicious shrimp and lobster pasta dish and Caesar salad, and a lemon meringue pie. As always when there are good people present, the best part of dinner was of course the company. That being said, the eats were fabulous too!
Looking soo good, I love bread recipes and this ciabatta sounds soo good to me now:)
Ella,
Thanks for stopping by Platter Talk! This ciabatta is acutally wonderful, give it a try and let me know how it turns out!
Ciabatta is gorgeous with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, great recipe
I love ciabatta, but have never tried making it before. I bet it’s even better. I would love to try it!
That weekend sounds like just what the doctor ordered. And yes, I love Ciabatta…and this makes me want to break out the yeast!
Love homemade bread – there is something so relaxing and cathartic about the process of hand-kneading dough.
We love chibatta, but have never made it ourselves. We may just have to follow your recipe and see what happens
What a lovely loaf! I love a good ciabatta.
Love the texture on the bread. Looks absolutely yum. All i need is a glass of wine.
There is nothing better than homemade bread!
Some bread and a big plate of pasta! Italian feast!
Superb, I am determined to cook more bread this winter and ciabatta and foccacia are on the list, definitely giving this a try.
I’ve never made my own bread before. These look very tasty.
Sounds like a perfect day! And who could say no to freshly baked, homemade bread even if t hadn’t been perfect enough already?
Sounds like a wonderful Saturday night. The best bread is always homemade, something so moreish about it.
This looks like a wonderful recipe, sure to be a staple for any comforting meal. You can’t beat homemade bread, it’s just the best!! 🙂
I LOVE Cibatta bread! This looks so amazing and so good. I want to bake some up and dip into a big bowl of soup!
Thanks, Deanna; we love ciabatta too!
LOVE ciabatta!!! I need to make my own bread now =)
Thanks for the comments, I think you will enjoy this recipe for ciabatta!
I’ve always wanted to make ciabatta so I’m glad to hear that it’s not hard, especially for people who don’t bake bread. And I lOVE dipping ciabatta in aged balsamic vinegar. That sounds like a truly lovely evening.
There is nothing better than an amazing bread!
Dan, this is one of the difficult bread, you made it so perfectly, I have been hesitating to make ciabatta and baguette. Love that perfect crust and crumb.
I have never made ciabatta at home, looking at your recipe has inspired me to have ago.
the fact that you have a cottage makes this bread even more cozy! haha. can we visit next?
Oh my gosh this looks like it has the perfect outer crunchy crust. I am not good at making bread but you make it sound easy!
I don’t make a lot of bread but I’m so impressed with people who do! Ciabatta is such a crusty, wonderful loaf. You’ve got me thinking I can do this!
What a lovely picture it is – food, friends and laughter around a bonfire by the lake! Throw in a full moon and it’s just idyllic! I’ve never made Ciabatta before, but considering that I haven’t baked bread in a while, I’d love for this to be my next loaf.