CIABATTA (Crispy Crust✔️Silky Open Crumb✔️

Biga✔️)
If you're into baking bread, knowing how to make great ciabatta is a
must. You just can't go wrong with the classic crispy crust and silky
open crumb of this loaf. Make it in into a classy sandwich or just eat
the whole thing by itself for fun. I won't judge you.
RECIPE
BIGA
•175g or 3/4c warm water (86F/30C)
•1/4tsp instant yeast
•225g or 1 1/2c AP flour (11.7% protein)
Add water, yeast, and flour into a high sided container and mix until
no dry clumps of flour remains. Let ferment at room temp for 6-24
hours.
AUTOLYSE
•180g or 3/4c warm water (86F/30C)
•250g or 2c AP flour (11.7% protein)
Into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix your
Autolyse (water and flour) on low until combined. Cover with town
and let sit for 30 minutes.
FINAL MIX
•40g or 2 3/4Tbsp warm water (86F/30C)
•5g or 2tsp instant yeast
•10g 1 3/4tsp salt
•All of the biga you mixed earlier
For your final mix, add warm water, yeast, salt, and biga to your
autolyse and mix on low for 3 minutes. Increase speed to high and
mix for 5 more minutes. When dough is mixed enough it should clear
the bowl and begin to get shiny.
FERMENTING AND SHAPING
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and ferment at room
temperature for 30 min. Do strength building fold as shown @3:33.
Cover again and let sit at room temp for another 30 minutes.
Laminate dough as shown @4:27 (this takes the place of a 2nd
stretch and fold). After laminating, transfer back to bowl seam side
down, cover and allow to ferment at room temp for 1 hour. Dough
should be gassy and alive at this point.
Liberally flour work surface and dough well. Use dough card to
release dough from bowl as completely as possible before transferring
dough to work surface. Gently pat into a square slab.
Prepare a piece of parchment that's larger than your slab of ciabatta
dough by liberally flouring it. Cut dough into two equal rectangles and
gently transfer to floured parchment. Cover and proof at room temp
for 30 min.
BAKING
Preheat oven to 500F/260c - I also preheat my baking steel/stone on
the middle rack and a cast iron pan in the bottom of my oven.
Boil water.
Slide ciabatta onto baking steel and pour boiling water into cast iron
pan in the oven. Cover loaves with turkey pan, decrease heat to
480F/248C and bake for 12 min. Remove foil pan and continue to
bake for 13-15 minutes until crust is a deep golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.