Ciabatta

Method

1. The day before you want to bake your bread, prepare the biga. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a comfortably warm room for at least 6 hours and up to 16.
2. The following day you should have a thick, bubbly, fermented mixture that’s very sticky and stretchy. Add the oil, salt and flour and use your hands to bring the dough together. It will be quite sticky and wet.
3. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes on a clean surface. Avoid adding flour even though the dough will be very wet and sticky. You’ll need a dough scraper to help you stretch, slap and fold the dough (see video). The more you do this, the more the gluten will develop and the easier the dough will be to work with. The dough is ready when it’s smooth and elastic.
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5. Shape the dough to roughly fit the loaf tin, then put it in the tin and leave to rise for 1-2 hours until very puffy and bigger by at least half. If you press the corner of the loaf with your finger it should leave a small indentation.
6. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle with the polenta. Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9. Put a large roasting tin in the bottom of the oven and fill with freshly boiled water.
7. Carefully turn out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Be very gentle with the ciabatta to keep as much air as possible in the dough – invert the tin as close as possible to the baking tray and let gravity do the job. Dust with a little more polenta.
8. Bake the dough for 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to 220°C/200°C fan/ gas 7 for a further 10-15 minutes. Tap the bottom to check the ciabatta is cooked – if it sounds hollow, it’s ready. Allow to cool before slicing.