Authentic homemade Ciabatta recipe

Add the Biga ingredients into a high-sided container and mix them until no dry clumps of flour remain. Let the mixture ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the autolyse ingredients and mix them on low speed until combined. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Add the warm water, instant yeast, salt, and the biga to the autolyse mixture in the stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes and increase the speed to high and mix for 5 more minutes, until the dough clears the bowl and becomes shiny.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover it and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make a strength-building fold. Cover the dough again and let it sit at room temperature for another 30 minutes.

Laminate the dough and transfer it back to the bowl, seam side down. Then, cover the bowl and allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for 1 hour.

Flour your work surface and the dough, release the dough and pat the dough into a square slab.

Prepare a piece of parchment paper. Cut the dough into two equal rectangles and transfer them to the floured parchment. Cover the dough and let it proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 260 C, along with a baking steel/stone on the middle rack and a cast iron pan on the bottom. Boil water. Slide the dough onto the preheated baking steel and pour the boiling water into the cast iron pan.

Cover the loaves with a turkey pan, reduce the heat to 248 C and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove the foil pan and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Cool the loaves on a wire rack. Then, serve and enjoy!