Recipe · Ciabatta · Same-Day
75% Hydration Same-Day Ciabatta
The Italian answer to the baguette: rougher, wetter, more dramatic. A long fermentation in the biga gives flavor, the high hydration produces the open crumb, and the rustic shape comes from the dough itself, not the baker.
Total time
5 hours
Active
60 minutes
Hydration
75%
Difficulty
⌬⌬⌬
At 75%, you get real artisan crumb without fighting the dough. It's wet enough for visible holes in the cut loaf, dry enough that you can shape it on a lightly floured counter without the dough sticking to everything.
Same-day means start to finish in roughly four to six hours. The recipe leans on commercial yeast at a higher percentage and a warm bulk fermentation. You won't get cold-ferment depth, but the loaf is on the table the day you decide to bake.
Ingredients
900g total dough. Yields 2 ciabattas, ~400g each baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 492 g | 100% |
| Water | 369 g | 75% |
| Salt | 9.8 g | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 3.9 g | 0.8% |
| Olive oil | 25 g | 5% |
Schedule
- Hour 0Mix flour, water, yeast. Autolyse 20 minutes.
- Hour 0:20Add salt, mix until smooth.
- Hour 0:30First fold.
- Hour 1:00Second fold.
- Hour 1:30Third fold.
- Hour 2:00Bulk ferment until visibly puffy.
- Hour 3:30Divide into 2 portions, pre-shape, rest 20 minutes, final shape, proof 45-60 minutes.
- Hour 5:00Skip scoring (ciabatta bakes without cuts). Slide onto the preheated stone. Bake at 475°F with steam (a tray of boiling water on the lower rack) for 22 minutes until deep golden.
Method tips for this style
Don't try to shape ciabatta with your hands. Turn the bulk-fermented dough onto a heavily floured counter, divide with a bench scraper, and lift each portion gently onto the peel. The shape is whatever the dough wants to be.
What to expect
A focaccia with a soft dimpled interior and crisp oiled bottom; or a ciabatta with visible holes and a light chewy crumb. The standard expression of the style.
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