Ciabatta

Good ciabatta is a another Italian hearth bread and is a kind of Holy Grail for breadmakers; it is their heart’s desire but heart-breakingly elusive. The secret is in the very wet dough and the mixture of strong and weak flours. This method uses a starter, or ‘biga’, which uses only a small amount of yeast and takes up to 24 hours to mature. Its acidic maturity contributes to the chewy texture and flavour of the bread, helps to open the texture, and improves the shelf-life.

Mix toge