Ciabatta Baguette
In this master artisan bread recipe, we’ll focus on one of the most revered Italian breads: The ciabatta. Ciabatta is an Italian white bread famous for its airy, open crumb and crisp, golden crust. Its name means “slipper” in Italian, a nod to its flat, elongated shape. What makes it unique is the high-hydration dough—with a 75–80% water-to-flour ratio—which creates its signature large, irregular holes. But here, we abandon the traditional baguette shaping concept entirely—a small liberation that may appeal to so many home bakers who find tension rolls and seam-folding intimidating. It starts with traditional-grade flour, spring water, and a whisper of yeast. That’s the entire equation. From there, we adopt a low mixing process—just until the shaggy threads come together. Then comes the true secret: a long, patient bulk fermentation, during which time and humidity build the gluten for us, silently transforming a sticky mass into something alive and elastic. Once the dough has risen and settled into itself, we split it in half. No rolling, no tapering. Instead, we proof the portions into soft, pillowy slabs on well-floured linen. When ready, we cut straight through each slab into rough baguette strips—earthy, irregular, and full of character. Then, into a blazing oven they go. The result is an incredibly brown, crackling crust, an open honeycombed crumb, and the soul of Italy.
