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Homemade Ciabatta (No Mixer, Stretch and Fold)

Homemade Ciabatta (No Mixer, Stretch and Fold)

Homemade ciabatta with a crisp crust and airy crumb, flavored with olive oil and honey. No mixer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 1 batch, about 790 g dough
Course: Breads & Rolls
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups (430 g) bread flour
  • 1⅓ cups (325 ml) lukewarm water
  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
  • 1½ tablespoons (20 ml) olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon (7 g) salt

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix the lukewarm water, yeast, honey, and olive oil until combined.
  2. Add the flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a very sticky dough.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  4. Wet your hands and do a round of folds: lift one side of the dough and fold it into the center. Repeat on all four sides.
  5. Cover again for 30 minutes, then repeat the folds.
  6. Cover for another 30 minutes of rest.
  7. Flour a work surface well and gently transfer the dough onto it. Using your hands (not a rolling pin!), stretch and shape it into a rectangle.
  8. Cut into ciabatta loaves of the size you want. Carefully move them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20 minutes.
  9. If you like, dust the tops lightly with flour before baking (optional).
  10. Bake in an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C), conventional (top and bottom heat), for about 20 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

Tips for an airy ciabatta
  • Don't add flour to the sticky dough. Wet hands make folding easy.
  • The folds build strength, so do both rounds.
  • Handle the shaped dough gently and skip the rolling pin to keep the bubbles.
Substitutions
  • Honey → sugar, same amount.
  • Bread flour → all-purpose flour (same amount; the crumb will be a little less open).