For starters we served Moules Mariniere so I wanted bread that would be nice for mopping up the sauce once all of the lovely mussels had been devoured. I decided ciabatta would do the job and I wasn’t disappointed, it was perfect.
The following recipe yielded 3 ciabatta loaves. We managed to get through them between dinner, breakfast and parcels happily taken home by our guests. You may want to divide the recipe or simply make the full amount and freeze dough or baked loaves for a later date.
Ciabatta
30g/1oz Fresh Yeast, or 3 x 7g sachets Dried Yeast
30g/1oz Honey
625ml/just over 1 pint of Tepid Water
1kg/2.25lb Plain Flour
30g/1oz Salt
6tbsp Olive Oil
Extra Flour and some Semolina for dusting
1. Dissolve the yeast and honey in half the tepid water.
2. Place the flour and salt in a very large bowl and make a well in the centre.
3. Pour the dissolved yeast mixture into the well. With your fingers and working from the centre outwards start to incorporate some of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
4. Pour in the remaining tepid water and gradually incorporate all of the flour until you have a most dough. (If you feel the consistency is not quite right feel free to add some more water/flour a little at a time until you achieve a nice dough)
5. Knead the dough for approx 5 minutes until it is nice and elastic. (If your bowl is not big enough to knead in flour a work surface and tip the dough on to that)
6. Flour your hands and the top of the dough and shape it into a nice ball (place back in the bowl if you removed it). Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm, draught free area (I use the airing cupboard) for 45 minutes to prove.
7. After 45 minutes the dough should have doubled in size. Knock it back (knead to remove all of the air).
8. Add the olive oil and knead once again to incorporate throughout the dough.
9. Split the dough into 3 equal parts and roll each piece into a 25cm/10” roll. Flatten the length of each roll with the heel of your hand.
10. Dust 2 or 3 baking sheets (depending on their size you may only need 2) with flour and semolina. Place the dough rolls onto the baking sheets. Dust the dough with flour and semolina and score each one approximately 5 times.
11. It is now time for the dough’s 2nd prove so once again leave in a warm/ draught free place for 45 minutes.
12. Preheat the oven to 225C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
13. Once the bread has proved for the 45 minutes place in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about ½ an hour before eating.
