Ciabatta -- Sandwich Bread

Instructions

Poolish:
Place cool water in medium bowl; add yeast and stir in flour until well mixed. Cover and let stand at room temperature 10-12 hours or until the mixture is doubled in size, light and foamy with large bubbles.

Dough:
In large bowl mix flour, salt and yeast. In a medium bowl whisk together
tepid water and olive, then add to flour mixture. Add Poolish to flour mixture. With hands, mix dough until all ingredients are incorporated. Continue mixing, scraping side of bowl, for 8-10 minutes or until dough holds together and is slightly smooth (dough will be sticky, but resist urge to add more flour, dough will become less sticky as process continues). Scrape sides of bowl clean. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

To develop gluten in flour, stretch and fold dough in series of 4 folds as follows: Turn dough onto floured surface; pat with palms of hands to flatten slightly. Fold side of dough nearest you to center, stretching dough as you fold. Stretch and fold dough opposite you to center. Stretch and fold right side of dough to center; repeat with left side.

Slightly dust bowl with flour; place dough, seam side down in bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Repeat the 4 fold process 3 more times, resting the dough 30 minutes between foldings. After the last fold, oil the inside of the bowl, cover and let stand 50 minutes.

Final Preparation and Baking:
Line a large baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel. In a small bowl, mix flour and cornmeal together. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixture in a 12x4-inch strip on towel-lined pan. Remove dough from bowl and gently place on a floured surface (Be careful not to deflate the dough). Lightly flour and gently pat the dough into a 10-inch square, about 1-inch thick. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut dough into 3 equal strips. Stretch 1 dough strip in a 12x4 inch loaf; place on cornmeal strip of towel. Create fold in towel next to loaf; sprinkle with cornmeal mixture and stretch and place second strip. Another fold, sprinkle with cornmeal and stretch and place the last strip of dough.
Cover dough with another kitchen towel (not plastic wrap), and let stand 45 minutes.

Place large baking stone in center of oven, with the broiler pan on the bottom rack. Heat to 450°F. Dough should spring back slightly, if too quick, allow to continue to rise longer. Lightly sprinkle tops with cornmeal mixture. Invert onto a transfer peel and slide onto baking stone. Repeat with other loaves.

Pour 1/3 cup water into broiler pan, mist tops of loaves and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Cool on wire rack.

Author's Comments

A time consuming bread, but delicious for all the sandwiches you may make.

Originally published in my: The “Old Country” Italian Cookbook, by Donald J.P. La Marca

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