Sourdough Ciabatta

As you'll note, there is a wide range in the amount of flour needed. The essence of ciabatta is it's coarse texture with large interior holes; this is possible with the right proportion of flour and liquid. A dough with too much flour will have a fine texture; a slack dough, one with too much liquid, will spread out on the baking sheet, rather than rising up. Experience, and maybe a few failures, will teach you just what the dough of a perfect ciabatta should feel like. Found this recipe on King Arthur's website.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 3 loaves

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons instant yeast
• 1  cup  sourdough starter
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 6 -8  cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl mix together the water, milk, olive oil, and starter.
2. Mix the yeast and salt into the flour.
3. Stir 6 cups of flour into the liquid mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a dough the consistency of drop-cookie batter.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and satiny.
5. The dough should be on the slack side, but not oozy; it needs to be able to hold its shape in the oven.
6. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
7. Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise, undisturbed, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
8. Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently and divide it into three pieces.
9. Form the loaves into torpedo shapes, and place the loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets.
10. With a serrated knife or lamé, make three slashes in the tops of the loaves, each 1/2-inch deep.
11. Cover with a damp towel.
12. Let the loaves rise until they look puffy.
13. This should take approximately 30 minutes. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 425°F.
14. Brush or spray the loaves with water; a plant mister is good for this job.
15. Bake for 10 minutes, spraying the loaves with water two more times.
16. Lower the oven to 375°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until golden brown.