Traditional Ciabatta

For the starter - biga

150 g plain white flour
1/2 teaspoon dried active yeast
110 ml warm water

Put the yeast and half of the water in a small mixing bowl and mix in

Add the rest of the water and whisk in the flour, which is sieved into the bowl until a dough forms

Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon to get a very smooth dough

Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours (overnight will do)

For the main dough

1/2 level teaspoon of yeast as before

40 ml warm milk

2 tablespoons oil (olive or sunflower)

175 ml warm water

250 g strong bread flower

1 level teaspoon salt

Stir the yeast and milk together and cover - leave for 15 minutes

Combine the oil and water

Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl

Make a well and add the starter, the mild and yeast mixture and the water and oil

Stir well with a spoon or your hands

The mixture will be quite wet, knead for ten minutes in the bowl

Cover and leave to prove for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size

Folding the dough - keep it in the bowl and fold the end over backwards, rotate the bowl a little and repeat. Repeat this process about 8 times

Rest the dough for 20 minutes and then repeat

Flour a surface well and tip the dough out. It will be a little wet but don’t worry.
Shape the dough onto a large or 2 smaller loaves.

Fold the dough over on itself to form a rectangle and lay on baking paper and rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven with a baking tray inside to 220ºC, 450ºF, Gas 7

Place the bread along with the paper on the hot baking tray and bake for 35 - 45 minutes for a large one, 25 - 30 minutes for smaller ones

Test by hitting the bottom for a hollow sound