In Italy, ciabatta is the customary table bread, most often eaten with a splash of grassy olive oil. No balsamic, mind you. Just the oil. It also happens to remedy many saucy situations, like bowl mopping. Day old ciabatta can also be repurposed for panzanella salad, to thicken soups or to make crunchy pangrattato crumbs to jazz up a simple pasta.
The recipe for this Overnight Ciabatta is from my Cookbook, Bibby’s Kitchen – The Essence of Good Food. Like all the recipes in the Breaded Table chapter, no sourdough starter or poolish is needed. It’s straight forward mix, proof, shape and bake – 101 bread making, if you will. Traditionally, ciabatta, so called because of its slipper-shape, is a free-form. No two breads look identical. Here, I’ve included two options, a pot bread-style and the classic Italian, slipper bread. For the the potted bread, I’m using the Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole.
To make things even simpler, at 10am this morning, I’ll be taking over Le Creuset’s Instagram stories with a step-by-step of how to make ciabatta. Join me in the studio and let’s bake together.
If you missed these Parmesan Meatballs with Sundried tomato sauce, here’s the link to the recipe. They’re not half shabby, either. I think you’re going to love them!
The Bibby’s Kitchen cookbook is available at all good bookstores, Exclusive Books and from next week, at @Home Stores. To order on-line, visit Takealot and Loot.
Overnight ciabatta
Makes 2 loaves
- 250g white bread flour
- 250g cake wheat flour
- 10g instant dry yeast
- 1½ teaspoons fine salt
- 500ml (2 cups) water, room temperature
- 30ml (2 tbls) olive oil, plus extra for oiling the bowl
- Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the K-beater attachment, beat on a high speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides and comes together in a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and chill overnight.
- Bring the dough up to room temperature before continuing with the next step. The dough is ready when bubbles are visible on the surface.
- Preheat the oven to 230° C. Place a baking sheet in the oven while the oven is heating. If you’re making the potted version, slide the Le Creuset Casserole in next to the baking sheet.
- Scrape the dough out onto a well-floured board and divide in half. Remove the heated baking sheet and casserole from the oven and dust liberally with flour. Lift the first piece of dough onto the baking sheet, stretching it into a slipper shape as you lay it down. Shape the remaining piece into a round and place in the Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole. Cover with the lid.
- Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until crisp and well browned on top. Remove the baking sheet and transfer the ciabatta to a wire rack to cool.
- Remove the lid from the pot and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Cool for at least 10 respectable minutes before slicing.
The recipe for Overnight ciabatta is featured in my new Cookbook, Bibby’s Kitchen. For a peek inside, HERE’S what you can expect.
In paid partnership with Le Creuset. As always, opinions and comments remain authentically honest and in keeping with the Bibby’s Kitchen cook from scratch philosophy.
21 Comments. Leave new
At last! A bread recipe that sounds like sense to me….Thank you! Ain’t nobody got time for all that messing around proving dough ( or finding a place to do so in a modern kitchen without an Aga stove)
Ah, Di. Not everything in life has to be complicated. I’m the first to applaud a good sour-dough but sometimes quick and easy is needed.
Hi Dianne
What size casserole dish do you use for this recipe/
Good morning Claire. I used a 20cm casserole. (The recipe makes two loaves)
Made this ciabatta for the 1st time, the result was perfect … crisp crust with a chewy center with large air holes. Very easy to make – 10 out of 10!
Hello Terri. So good to hear it was a winner with everyone! Thank you for sharing all your clever swaps and tips. I’m sure it’s going to come in super-handy for anyone without an Instant Pot. Wishing you a wonderful and delicious New Year.
Hi….. Do I have to use wheat cake flour or can I use white cake flour? Died it change the fast a lot to substitute?
Thanks!
Hi there Nancy. Cake wheat flour is the same as white cake flour. Some brands have changed the packaging name to cake wheat flour
as a precautionary for anyone who might be wheat intolerant. It’ll do just fine. Hope that helps. Regards Di
HI Diane,
Thanks for the quick reply! I”m making it this weekend! Cant wait.
Enjoy!
If one doesn’t have an electric mixer, can hand mixing work?
Hi Alexis. Unfortunately for this recipe, you will need an electric mixer. The method relies on a high-speed mixer, fitted with a K-beater to develop the gluten and bring the dough together. It’s too wet for hand kneading. So sorry.
Hi Di!
I’m so excited to try out this recipe, but I don’t have any white bread flour.
Will it also work if I only use cake flour?
Hi there!
Do you think it will work mixing with a Thermomix?
Hello Al. I haven’t made it in a Thermomix so I can’t say for sure. It works on the premise of developing the gluten at high speed until the dough balls together. Not sure if it’s possible to mimc this in the Thermomix.
Now I can tell you! No, the dough was too liquid even after a longtime beating… I saved it with pretty good results, but I guess it was no longer your bread.
This looks delicious! I don’t have a stand mixer, however. Will a dough hook on a hand mixer suffice?
Hello Al. I’m thinking of doing a quick video tutorial of the bread. Hope that it will be helpful for anyone who’s had issues with consistency.
Hi Kim. I’ve only ever used my Kithen Aid for this. Although a dough hook is intended for bread, in this instance, one needs a K-beater. The friction and speed of this method is what’s needed to incorporate the high volume of liquid and develop the gluten strands.
I was about to ask about the Thermomix too as I don’t have a stand mixer 😆 I guess my little hand held mixer won’t do the job either 🤷♀️ Any suggestions?
Sadly the hand mixer is not up for the job Jo! Unfortunately, the K-beater action is the surest way to develop the gluten.