Adria, Italy (1982, as a slipper-shaped answer to the baguette)
Ciabatta
A wet, wild dough that rewards patience and a bench scraper. High-extraction hard wheat shines.
Your loaf
Scaled to your flour, protein, and hydration.
Suggested hydration 83.5%. Mix protein 12.6% · after VWG 12.6% protein · 10.6% gluten. Effective liquid 98.5% (water + milk/eggs/etc).
Rest
12h
Bulk / rise
1h 55m
Proof
30 min
Bake
34 min
Times follow this dough weight and hydration — wetter and whole-grain run faster; bigger loaves bake longer. Timers below match these numbers.
| Ingredient | Baker’s % | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-grain flour | 100 | 500 g |
| Flour | 100 | |
| Water | % | |
| Salt | % | |
| Leaven | % | |
| Oil | % | |
| Dough total | 1013 g |
Same list as a classic baker’s % calculator: Flour and Water stay on. Check Milk, Yeast, Oil, Honey… then OK. Percents are of flour weight.
- Hard White Wheat can take a real knead and a higher hydration. Give it a windowpane if the style wants one.
- Fresh whole-grain flour ferments faster and drinks more water. Watch the dough, not the clock, and consider a slightly cooler bulk.
Hands, rest, heat
Knead
Mixer on medium 8–12 minutes until the dough climbs the hook and is glossy. By hand: stretch-and-fold only.
Rest
Biga or poolish 12–16 hours (70% of the flour is a good start). For this batch: about 12h.
Rise / bulk
Bulk 2–3 hours until a web of bubbles shows through the bowl. For this batch: about 1h 55m.
Proof
After cutting, 30–45 minutes on well-floured linen. Do not degas. For this batch: about 30 min.
Bake
475°F with steam 20 minutes, then dry 10–15. Bottom should sound hollow. For this batch: about 34 min.
Handle like a cloud. Flour the bench, cut rectangles, flip onto a peel.
Method
- Build a biga the night before.
- Mix biga, remaining flour, water, salt, and a little yeast until glossy.
- Bulk in a well-oiled tub. Fold 3 times in the first 90 minutes.
- Turn onto a floured bench. Cut, don't shape.
- Proof 30–45 minutes. Bake with plenty of steam.
Ratings
No community ratings yet — yours stay on this phone.
Your bake
Upload a snapshot of your loaf. Photos stay on this phone (and with your account if you sign in).