An authentic Italian recipe for ciabatta bread or slipper bread, originally from the Veneto, made with an overnight starter and cooked just like pizza on a preheated pizza stone.
Invented by Francesco Favaron in 1982, it is perfect for sandwiches, bruschetta, panzanella, or just to dip in your favorite olive oil.
Very easy to execute at home, but you will need to plan in advance for the starter or Biga.
Don’t be intimated, this is a sticky wet dough, hence those nice holes that make ciabatta special. Just roll with it, don’t be tempted to add extra flour, all will be great!
If you are looking for a quick last minute crusty bread to make for dinner, then I’d suggest you try this easy rustic bread recipe instead, also baked on a pizza stone (<–amazon )
An authentic Italian recipe for ciabatta bread or slipper bread, originally from the Veneto made with an overnight starter and cooked just like pizza on a preheated pizza stone
- 2 c organic bread flour
- 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 11 tbsp filtered water
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp warm whole milk
- 1 c organic bread flour
- 1/3 c filtered water at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp warm water
Make your starter the night before you plan to bake the bread.
Mix together the yeast with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow it to stand for a few minutes.
In a medium size mixing bowl stir together the yeast mixture with the flour and the water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight. If preparing it in the morning then let it sit until evening and up to 24 hours.
Use your stand mixer and combine the yeast and the warm milk. Let it sit for a few minutes until creamy.
Add the starter, olive oil, flour, sea salt and water and mix together for about 10 minutes until everything is incorporated.
Prepare a large bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Transfer the bread dough to it and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to sit until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.
Turn the bread dough onto a well floured surface and with floured hands cut it in half. Form 2 long loaves.
Transfer them to a piece of floured cardboard or parchment paper.
Optional step: Flour your fingers well and create dimples in the top of the loaves. Sprinkle with some flour.
Lightly dampen a tea towel and cover the loaves. Allow them to rise again until doubled in size, up to 2 hours.
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425” F with a Pizza Stone in the center for 1 hour before planning to bake the bread.
Transfer one of the loaves to the preheated pizza stone and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown to your liking.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing it with a serrated knife.
#1 If using a piece of cardboard gently shake and slide the dough onto the stone, just like we do with the pizza dough. If using the parchment paper method then you can transfer them together into the oven.
#2 To get a crusty loaf make sure to use a pizza stone and also create some steam in the oven, by placing a dish filled with water on the bottom as the oven heats up. Add more water if needed before baking the bread. Allow the loaves to cool inside the oven after baking with the oven door slightly open. #3 If you don't have a stand mixer just use a wooden spoon to mix the dough and a little elbow grease.
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Not everybody has a stand mixer…I know great shock … Wooden spoon then how much kneading???????????
Hi DD, no worries, just use a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated well, a few minutes is all you need.
I do not have a pizza stone, can I use an insulated cookie sheet instead ?
You sure can, only I think it will be difficult to attain that crispy crust. Still worth making tough 🙂
Try a baking steel … they are way better then a stone and can be used on the grill as well…mmmm best crust…everytime
Great idea, will have to try it that way too! thank you!
Can the bread be baked, cooled then wrapped and frozen?
Honestly I haven’t experimented with that yet so I wouldn’t want to misguide you. If you do try it please report back tough 🙂
That is one gorgeous loaf of bread! I’d love to have a big hunk of it dunked in good olive oil. I’ve wanted to try making ciabatta at home forever – now I have my recipe!!
Thanks Marissa, one of those days when it gets a little chilly outside is the perfect time for baking! ~ Florentina Xo’s
Can the other loaf of dough sit out while the first one bakes and should I heat up another pan while the first one is baking!
Yes it can, you’ll bake it on the same pizza stone you baked your first one. Also, you could bake them together if your stone/pan is big enough. I’m guessing you are a using a pan 😉
How long can the 2nd loaf be kept before baking?
You can keep it on the counter while the first one is baking. I hope that answered your question.
Mine seems very flat- I’m soooo tempted to add more flour, but alas it seems delicious. It’s gone in a day;(
Hi Lori, Ciabatta is usually kind of a flat bread, If you think it was out of the ordinary flat maybe the yeast was not at its prime…Or try a 1/4 tsp extra next time. Hope that helps! ~ Florentina
Thank you for sharing such a delicious ciabatta recipe! It is by far the best I have made.
Your blog is wonderful, and I greatly enjoy all that you share. My husband and I are eating much better, to say the least!
Thank you so much Ashley, you totally made my day Xo’s ~ Florentina
Hi, I am making this bread right now, but the dough is so soft I could not shape or touch it at all. It’s ready to go in the oven but I can’t do one at a time because if I touch them they start to turn into blobs so I can’t even move them off the parchment paper. I followed your recipe to the letter, but I’m not sure wht went wrong, any suggestions?
Hi Nyla, this is kind of a sticky dough which is ok. You can transfer the bread dough into the oven with the parchment paper. Remember to also add a dish with water in the bottom of the oven if you want to get a crispy crust. Hope that helps.
I’m unsure of what you mean by “form two long loaves” so am I rolling out how is that done??
Hi Tiffany, take a look at this video for Crusty Bread, you’ll basically fold the dough onto itself into a round or a long loaf. Hope this helps: https://ciaoflorentina.com/rustic-crusty-bread-recipe/
This is a really great Bread, if you really want it to become crusty you have to add a dish with water for steam in the oven. It will still be a good Bread if you don’t but it won’t be crusty, so just keep that in mind when making this recipe. A keeper for us. Thank you for sharing.
That bread looks like absolute perfection – the texture…WOW!
Oh yum! I love a good loaf of ciabbata, but have never tried making my own before. 🙂
Wow! This looks so good! I can just smell it baking!
Hi can I make it with all purpose flour instead of bread flour
Sure!
Tried the recipe and it turned out great. A nice airy crusty ciabatta. I’m going to try baking it in a deep cast iron pot to see if I could get a thicker bread with the same airy consistency. Not sure if this will work, but a fun experiment.
Thanks,
Sam
So glad to hear Sam! Let me know how it goes with the cast iron 🙂
Hi, I was wondering how your bread turned out cooked in the cast iron pot. Sure would appreciate your comments.
Thanks, Carol
Not this particular recipe but I freeze baked Ciabatta and reheat from frozen for 10 minutes at 200C.
I have a cast iron griddle for my stovetop. Can I use it instead of a stone?
Yes you can!
I drizzled some honey on top of the bread once it came out of the oven. Both loaves were quickly gobbled up. Going to add honey to the mixture the next time I make this (today).
Hey, the bread tasted good. But, mine did not have any holes in it. Did i use too much flour?
Sounds like you overworked the dough and maybe added too much flour as well. It is a sticky dough 🙂
It turned out so good. Didnt get the same look on the outside but inside was perfect. Crust is nice and crunchy. Inside so soft.