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World's easiest ciabatta (qia ba ta) - a rustic loaf with a crackling golden crust and a soft, holey crumb

World's Easiest Ciabatta (Qia Ba Ta)

Lin
A same-day, no-knead ciabatta with six ingredients and two stretch-and-folds: a crackling crust over a soft, holey crumb, baked at 230°C with a water spray. Beginner-proof and genuinely simple.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting & Fermentation 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 slices
Calories 165 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Tray
  • Spray Bottle with Water
  • Bench Scraper
  • Tea Towel

Ingredients
  

For the Dough

  • 2 cup bread flour (high-gluten flour) 262 g, plus 2 tbsp
  • 1 cup room-temperature water 223 g
  • 3 tbsp warm water 40 g, for the yeast
  • 1.25 tsp instant dry yeast 4 g
  • 0.75 tsp sugar 3 g
  • 1 tsp salt 5 g
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 15 g, plus 1 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Stir the sugar and yeast into 40 g warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
    Stir the sugar and yeast into 40 g of warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes until it foams.
  • Combine the remaining water with the dry ingredients and the yeast, mixing with a spatula.
    Combine the remaining room-temperature water with the dry ingredients and the activated yeast, mixing with a spatula.
  • Mix until no dry flour remains, then pour in the olive oil - the dough will be shaggy and wet.
    Mix until no dry flour remains, then pour in the olive oil - the dough will be shaggy and very wet.
  • Fold until the oil is absorbed and the dough becomes a sticky, elastic mass.
    Keep folding until the olive oil is fully absorbed and the dough becomes a sticky, elastic mass.
  • Cover and rest 15 minutes so the flour hydrates.
    Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15 minutes so the flour hydrates and gluten develops.
  • Stretch one edge up and fold over the center, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time - four folds total.
    Lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over the center, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time.
  • Cover and rest another 15 minutes - the dough will feel stronger.
    Cover and rest the dough for another 15 minutes - it will feel stronger and less sticky.
  • Repeat the stretch-and-fold all the way around one final time.
    Repeat the stretch-and-fold all the way around the dough one final time.
  • Tuck into a ball and ferment in a warm spot for about 40 minutes until puffed.
    Tuck the dough into a rough ball and ferment in a warm spot for about 40 minutes until puffed.
  • Dust the surface generously and turn the dough out without deflating it.
    Dust the work surface generously and turn the fermented dough out onto it without deflating.
  • Gently coax the dough into a rectangle with floured hands.
    With floured hands, gently coax the dough into a rectangle without pressing out the air.
  • Fold the bottom edge up over the middle, like folding a blanket.
    Fold the bottom edge of the rectangle up over the middle, like folding a blanket.
  • Fold the top edge down to overlap into a long, soft log.
    Fold the top edge down to overlap, completing the envelope fold into a long, soft log.
  • Cut the log into 2 large loaves, or 4 smaller ones.
    Cut the log into 2 large loaves, or 4 smaller ones for sandwich-sized ciabatta.
  • Place on a floured tray, cover, and proof 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 230°C (446°F).
    Place the loaves on a floured tray, cover, and proof for 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 230 degrees C.
  • After 30 minutes the loaves should be puffy, soft and slightly jiggly.
    After 30 minutes the loaves should look puffy, soft and slightly jiggly.
  • Spray the loaves and oven walls with water, then bake at 230°C (446°F) for about 20 minutes.
    Spray the loaves and oven walls with water, then bake at 230 degrees C for about 20 minutes.
  • Bake until the crust is deep, even gold and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
    The loaves are ready when the crust is a deep, even gold and tapping the bottom sounds hollow.
  • Cool on a rack at least 20 minutes - the crust crisps as it cools. Slice and enjoy.
    Cool on a wire rack - the crust crisps as it cools, giving a crispy outside and a soft, airy inside.

Notes

Tips: Do not add flour to the wet dough - it is supposed to be sticky. The two stretch-and-folds are the non-negotiables. Spray water for the first minutes of baking to get the crackling crust. Slice rather than tear when dividing to keep the bubbles intact.
Food Safety: Bread made with flour should be baked to an internal temperature of at least 93°C (200°F). Handle raw flour carefully - it can carry pathogens and should not be tasted raw.
Allergen Notice: Contains gluten (bread flour). Vegan and dairy-free as written.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included. Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Keyword Ciabatta, Easy Bread, No-knead bread, Qia Ba Ta