Recently I've been extremely busy with work, studies, etc., and this bread
has become one of my "easy favorites" to make. The sponge can be made
ahead of time, and I've left it in the refrigerator for as long as a week
and had great results. It is super-easy to make, requiring a single rise
before it gets popped into the oven.
I highly recommend a baking stone for this bread, because it gets a
wonderful crust and puffs up very nicely when baked directly on the stone.
The shaping of the bread is also relatively freeform, and I've divided the
dough into 2-4 portions, resulting in round, oval, or squarish shaped
"loaves".
If you want to make a kind of "plain" bread that's good for toast and
jelly, butter, honey, etc., you can simply omit the herbs, onion, and
olives.
Enjoy!
Joan
--
Reply via email to joanm@bigfoot.com
http://www.bigfoot.com/~joanm
************************************************************
Ciabatta with Olives and Italian Herbs
Makes: 2 loaves
Sponge:
1 c. bread flour
2 t. sugar
2-1/2 t. active dry yeast
3/4 c. warm water (approx. 110-120 degrees -- warm to the wrist)
Blend ingredients together thoroughly in medium bowl. Cover; place in
refrigerator for 12-24 hours, or up to 1 week.
Bread:
Sponge starter (preferably at room temperature)
4 c. bread flour
1 to 1-1/4 c. warm water (approx. 110-120 degrees -- warm to the wrist)
2 t. powdered milk
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper
2-1/2 t. active dry yeast
1 t. salt
4-6 T. Italian herbs (I like to use a mixture of oregano, basil, and
thyme -- you can use fresh, chopped herbs or dried herbs)
1/4 c. minced dried onions (optional)
2.25 oz. can of sliced ripe olives, well drained
2 T. bread or all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (400 if using convection).
In a large mixing bowl, combine all bread ingredients (sponge through
ripe olives) and knead for 7-9 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured
work surface and divide into two equal portions (you may also make 4
individual-sized bread loaves). The dough will be sticky and soft, so
you may wish to flour your hands before working with the dough.
Roll each portion into a roughly oval shape approximately 3/4" thick.
These breads are more beautiful if they are shaped irregularly. Dust
loaves lightly with flour. Place loaves on a baking sheet sprinkled
lightly with cornmeal. Let rise for 20-30 minutes until doubled in
thickness and puffy.
Bake for 25-27 minutes until loaves are slightly browned on top and
sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven; cool on wire rack.
NOTE: these loaves are excellent when used for sandwiches or "quick"
pizzas.
For sandwiches: slice loaf in half horizontally; toast lightly. Top
one half with sandwich filling, place other half on top. Serve.
For quick pizzas: brush very lightly with olive oil and other pizza
toppings (cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni, chopped fresh vegetables,
herbs) and place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve
immediately.
Recipe also posted on my recipe archive:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8098/recipes.html