No Knead Ciabatta Bread From Chef John Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S NO-KNEAD CIABATTA

Steps:

• Place white and wheat flour in a large bowl. Add salt, yeast, and water. Mix until a wet sticky dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Cover with foil. Allow dough to rise for 18 hours at room temperature. It should not be too warm.
• Punch dough down with a spatula and fold it over a few times.
• Lightly grease a heavy-rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with cornmeal.
• Lightly spray a work surface with water. Place a long sheet of plastic wrap on the damp surface to hold it in place. Sprinkle plastic wrap with flour. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Gently stretch and pull dough into a long, flat rectangular shape, 12 to 15 inches long. Bring plastic sheet to edge of prepared pan and flip the dough into the prepared pan. Reshape the dough, if necessary. Dust with flour. Cover with a light dry towel. Let rise about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake dough in preheated oven until loaf is nicely browned, 35 to 45 minutes.

NO-KNEAD CIABATTA

Steps:

• Mix the water, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Add flour one cup at a time.
• Stir until all the flour is pretty much absorbed.
• Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 18 hours or overnight.
• In the morning uncover the dough and slightly pat it down with a rubber spatula to deflate it.
• Sprinkle cornmeal onto a baking sheet.
• With a rubber spatula scrape the wet dough out onto the pan, don't worry if it looks a little messy, straighten it out a little with floured hands.
• Set pan aside uncovered for 2 hours to rise (don't expect it to rise much).
• Preheat oven to 425F an hour before the bread will be done rising.
• Note:If you like you can sprinkle flour over the top of the risen dough right before you put it in the oven, this will give it the nice crackly floured look when it is done.
• Bake bread for 20-30 minutes. It will be done when the crust has a deep golden color. Enjoy!

NO-KNEAD CIABATTA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 2 cups flour, water and yeast. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand until more than doubled in size and bubbles are present on surface, 12 to 18 hours. Combine salt and remaining flour; stir salt mixture and oil into dough., Turn dough onto a well-floured baking sheet; gently press with a spatula into a 10-in. x 5-in. loaf. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until dough holds an indentation when gently pressed (loaf will slightly increase in size)., Arrange one oven rack at lowest rack setting; place second rack in middle of oven. Place an oven-safe skillet on bottom rack; preheat oven and skillet to 475°. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil., Wearing oven mitts, place bread on top rack. Pull bottom rack out by 6-8 in.; add boiling water to skillet. (Work quickly and carefully, pouring water away from you. Don't worry if some water is left in the saucepan.) Carefully slide bottom rack back into place; quickly close door to trap steam in oven., Reduce heat to 425°; bake for 10 minutes. Remove skillet from oven; bake bread 12-15 minutes longer or until deep golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack.