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Sourdough Ciabatta

Rustic Italian-style sourdough ciabatta with a crisp golden crust, tender chewy center, and beautiful irregular air pockets. Made with active sourdough starter, high-hydration dough, gentle folds, and overnight fermentation. Makes two loaves.
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Course: Bread, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 175
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g bread flour
  • 400 g water, divided into 375 g and 25 g
  • 100 g active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
  • 10 g fine salt
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  • 2 tbsp bread flour or semolina for dusting, approximately

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • Digital kitchen scale Recommended for accurate hydration
  • Dough scraper
  • bench scraper
  • Baking stone, baking steel, or heavy baking sheet
  • Oven-safe steam pan
  • Parchment Paper Choose parchment rated for baking conditions
  • Clean kitchen towel
  • Oven mitts
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Instant-read thermometer Optional for checking bread doneness

Method
 

  1. Mix 500 g bread flour with 375 g water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Add 100 g active sourdough starter and incorporate gently. Dissolve 10 g salt in remaining 25 g water, then work it into the dough. Add optional olive oil.
  3. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Perform one set of stretch-and-folds or coil folds with wet hands.
  4. Repeat folds every 30 minutes for a total of 3–4 sets, until dough develops greater elasticity and strength.
  5. Continue bulk fermentation until dough is puffy, bubbly, and approximately 50–75% larger. Total bulk fermentation commonly takes 4–6 hours from starter incorporation, depending on temperature and starter strength.
  6. Cover and refrigerate dough for 8–12 hours overnight.
  7. Generously flour work surface, gently turn out cold dough, stretch into a rectangle, and divide into 2 loaves without pressing out air bubbles.
  8. Transfer loaves to parchment paper dusted with flour or semolina. Cover loosely and proof for 45–60 minutes while preheating oven to 475°F with baking stone, steel, or heavy baking sheet inside.
  9. Transfer loaves to hot baking surface and introduce steam using an oven-safe steam pan. Bake at 475°F for 10 minutes, reduce to 450°F, remove steam source carefully, and bake another 15–20 minutes until deeply golden.
  10. Transfer ciabatta loaves to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 5gFat: 1.5gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 325mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1.3gSugar: 0.2gCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.6mg

Notes

Yield: 2 ciabatta loaves, approximately 12 servings total. Hands-on preparation: approximately 25–40 minutes. Bulk fermentation: 4–6 hours after starter addition. Cold fermentation: 8–12 hours. Final proof: 45–60 minutes. Baking: 25–30 minutes. Additional time for initial 30-minute flour-and-water rest, oven preheating, and complete cooling. Total elapsed time typically ranges from approximately 15 to 21 hours, depending on temperature and fermentation. Recipe assumes a 100% hydration sourdough starter, giving approximately 82% total dough hydration. Use a highly active, bubbly starter. Handle dough gently to preserve air bubbles. Bake to a deep golden crust and approximately 205–210°F internal temperature. Cool completely before slicing. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days for best quality or freeze for approximately 3 months. Nutrition estimates use optional olive oil.

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