Bread Machine / Abm Rustic Style Ciabatta

the80srule's Note:

I looooove ciabatta bread, especially when toasted and dipped in herbed olive oil. I was put off from making my own as it seemed pretty complicated and time-consuming-- but fear not for I have developed a wonderful ciabatta recipe that you can create in your bread machine! It's open for variations (it would be great with fresh or dried rosemary) since it doesn't bake in the machine, namely with the top. I prefer to leave it plain but I left some tips on how to get that nice rustic look and crackly feel. (3.5 cups AP flour + 3.5 Tbsp vital wheat gluten = 3.5 cups bread flour) Dough cycles for machines vary, 90 minutes is how long mine takes.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 1.0 2-lb loaf

DOUGH

• 2 cups warm water
• 3/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

PREPPING THE PAN

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fine ground cornmeal

OPTIONAL

• flour, for topping lightly
• olive oil, for brushing
• dried rosemary
• marjoram

Directions:

1. In the bread machine's basin, proof the yeast by pouring in the warm water and dissolving the pinch of sugar in it then sprinkling the yeast on top-- if you don't have a 1/8 teaspoon size or a sliding measuring spoon, just leave few millimeters of leeway in a 1/2 tsp size spoon.
2. Let the yeast proof for 10 minutes with the bread machine's lid open.
3. Add the flours and salt and blend well by hand or slowly with a dough hook until the flour has completely absorbed the water.
4. If you want add rosemary or other herbs, add them now too and blend.
5. Pour on the olive oil around the bin but don't blend it in by hand.
6. Close the bread machine and set it for a 2-lb loaf (1.5 should work if that's all your machine goes up to) at the DOUGH CYCLE. Kick back and let it do its work!
7. When the dough cycle ends, leave it in the machine, covered, for 20-30 minutes to rise. After the rise is complete, preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Grease an 11 x 7 pan with the 1/2 tsp olive oil-- NOT a loaf pan. This bread is best coming out relatively flat! The olive oil is a must for this, cooking spray won't make it come out the same! Brush the olive oil all over the inside of the pan, then sprinkle the cornmeal all over the bottom of the pan.
9. Extract the dough from the bread machine, it should have a wonderful thick and elasticy consistency. Lay it into the prepped loaf pan and smooth out the top when done.
10. Bake at 425F for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
11. For that rustic look and crackly feel, brush a little olive oil onto the top and dust with some flour prior to baking.
12. For Roman style ciabatta, season with marjoram and you can also make it ciabatta al latte by softening the dough with milk.

Reviews

[mlhuston]

Awesome Bread. Tastes great!!! Love that it makes a big loaf. Only had to bake it 20 min and it was done. Added some Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning and also a tablespoon of minced garlic to the dough as it was mixing. Wonderful Flavor!! Did brush the top with olive oil and then sprinkled some oat flour on top. Thanks for a great recipe!

[Cookgirl]

Dumped the ingredients in the bread machine (skipping Steps #1 and #2), punched in DOUGH and let it do its thing. I didn't understand Step #5 either. Anyway, after allowing to rise in the ABM, pulled the bread out of pan, placed on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, shaped into a 1-1 1/2" flat piece. Transferred the dough to a parchment-lined jelly roll pan that was lightly brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with cornmeal. Popped in the oven and baked twenty five minutes. Very easy. PS About 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves were added the dough. Reviewed for Veg Tag July.