This is an Easy no Knead, One bowl Italian Ciabatta Bread. Two hours and you can have Homemade Bread for lunch or dinner. Makes the perfect Sandwich too!
I never really grew up around fresh baked bread. My mother was an amazing sweet baker and a great cook but not a bread maker.
But then I moved to Italy, and of course bread is a serious business here. Whether it be the local bakery or Homemade. The Italian’s mother made all their bread when they were growing up.
All the ingredients to be mixed.
All the ingredients mixed, flour sprinkled on top ready to rise.
And then not so much after, so it became a wonderful treat when she did make it. From Homemade Italian Ciabatta Bread to Focaccia to Pizza.
We couldn’t wait to get our hands on it!
Ciabatta bread dough after rising for 1 1/2 hours.
Ciabatta Bread loaf ready for baking.
How to make No Knead Ciabatta Bread
- In a small bowl add 1/4 cup water, honey and yeast, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir.
- In a large bowl add the flour.
- Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and the remaining water.
- Mix with a wooden spoon, add the salt mix again.
- The dough will be loose and sticky.
- Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a draft free area for 1 1/2 hours.
- Lightly flour a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Gently move the dough from the bowl to the prepared cookie sheet, making sure the top of the dough (the floured part) remains on top.
- With a spatula form the dough into an oblong shape and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes. Let cool and slice.
How to tell when bread is done
You can tell bread is done when you tap on the bottom of the loaf and there is a hollow sound, but if you want to be 100 percent sure,
then using a thermometer is your best best, the bread is baked when the centre of the loaf registers 200 to 210 degrees.
What is Ciabatta Bread
This bread is originally from the North of Italy, from the Province of Rovigo in Veneto Region. It is a flat, elongated bread with a light texture.
It is a very simple bread, made up of a very high quantity of water. It produces a very large crumb. And is considered a typical old fashioned Italian bread.
More Delicious Yeast Breads you may Enjoy!
Homemade Olive Oil Bread Rolls
Traditional Italian Ciabatta Bread
Why I became intrigued with bread making I have know idea, it started in my early twenties and went from there.
I would try making something now and then from Bagels to Pizza and the occasional Loaf of Bread.
I also discovered that bread making isn’t nearly as difficult as I thought and this Italian Ciabatta (Ciabatta meaning Slipper in English, because of the shape and flatness of the bread)
This Bread is just that and delicious too. The perfect sandwich or dipping bread! I hope you enjoy it!
Homemade Italian Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4-1 cup + 1 tablespoon water lukewarm (divided) (200-245 ¾grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (divided) (260 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl 1/4 cup of water, honey and yeast, let sit 5 minutes then stir.
- In a large bowl add the flour , make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and remaining water. Mix together with a wood spoon, when almost mixed add the salt and combine. The dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
- Cover the bowl with a large tea towel, place in a warm, draft free area and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C), line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
- Carefully move the dough from the bowl to the prepared cookie sheet, making sure that the floured top of the dough remains on the top.
- With a spatula form the dough into an oblong loaf, place 5 or 6 ice cubes on a pan on the bottom of the oven to create vapor or add the pan when pre-heating the oven and pour 1 cup of very hot water into the pan before adding the dough. Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Jeannie says
Thank you, @anitalianinmykitchen, for your easy ciabatta recipe!
I doubled the recipe and had to add about 1/4c water to each of the two doughs.
My oven tends to take longer than what recipes list, so I started at 435’F then raised to 455’F after 20 minutes. After another ten mins, it was still very light-colored. I read the comments and increased my baking time by 10 mins at 455.
I also tried baking one with water below and one in a Dutch oven – I prefer the water-below method from how moist it came out in the middle! Thank you for a great, detailed recipe! 👍🏼 #anitalianinmykitchen
One question: the bread still tastes of yeast or soda or both. How can I reduce that?
Rosemary says
Hi Jeannie, thanks glad you liked it. Try with 1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast, it may need more rising time but I don’t think much. Let me know how it goes. Happy New Year.
Albert says
hello everyone,
I, like a lot of people have picked up a few new things while being in quarantine. Lately I have been cooking more and dabbing at baking here and there. I was looking for some Ciabatta bread at the store but they were out. I then thought to try and make it myself. I found this recipe and was interested off the back. Not only because I love the bread but because it I can do it and have it in just a couple of hours vs days that I have seen from other recipes. Only change I did was; I used 3 teaspoons of yeast, 1 tablespoon honey (my fault read it wrong) and baked it for 23 mins using the ice- cube method. If I could post a picture I would. It came out great, hallow on the inside and a nice crust on the outside. It was gone in less than 30 mins. my family loved it so much and wants me to make more. Only complaint I got was that I didn’t make enough.
If I double the recipe how long will I have to leave in the oven for?
Rosemary says
Hi Albert, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it, at least one good thing has come out of 2020 is people cooking and baking more! If you double the recipe I would probably bake it for an extra 10 minutes but keep your eye on it, or you could make 2 loaves and keep it at the baking time it is now. Hope that helps. Happy New Year.
Louisa says
This recipe is AMAZING! What a gorgeous bread it makes. I made it then used for garlic ciabatta. Honestly, it was so much bette Rohan shop bought! Wish I could post a picture.
Rosemary says
Hi Louisa, thanks so much so glad you enjoyed it. If you are on instagram you can #anitalianinmykitchen. Have a great week.
Atta says
Can I substitute honey with sugar
Rosemary says
Hi Atta, yes you can. Let me know how it goes.
Vida says
Fantastic fast recipe. Have made many and this is the fastest if you need a quick one 👍👍😉
Rosemary says
Thanks Vida, so glad you like it. Take care.
Elizabeth says
I just LOVE your site – thank you for this recipe… I’m NO baker (but a decent “cook”) and this is a whole new world for me… thankfully, it really is as easy as you said in your recipe. BUT – I do have a question… I’ve made this now twice – first time, the crust came out light golden and felt rather hard. I let it cool but when we cut it, the nice crusty-crust was no longer and the inside, although full of holes and beautiful, was rather dense. I thought maybe I under-cooked it, so I tried again and upped the temp to 435 F (my oven is THE WORST) and also cooked it about another 5 minutes. (BTW – both times I used the dish of boiling water underneath) This second time it had the proper golden color and I could knock on it like a door (HA!) but it STILL became soft after cooling for about 10 minutes. What am I doing wrong? (It’s this oven… evil thing…)
Rosemary says
Hi Elizabeth, if you have a dutch oven you could try baking it in there, heat the dutch oven (with the lid) in the oven while it is pre-heating be careful when you take it out, and place the bread (let it rise on parchment paper) with the paper in the pot cover it and bake for about 20-25 minutes, remove the lid and bake another 10-15 (no need to use a pan with water). and be sure to cool it immediately on a wire rack you could even help it further by placing the wire rack on a bowl so that air circulates even more. Let me know how it goes.
Merryn says
Hi Rosemary, I have tried many of your recipes and am very happy I found you….
I do have a question, can I make this ciabatta recipe into rolls
Rosemary says
Hi Merryn, sure I don’t see why not, instead of flattening the dough, take pieces and make into balls. Let me know how it goes.
Liam Lynch says
This was great, thank you – topped with olive oil, nduja and basil
Rosemary says
Hi Liam, thanks glad you enjoyed it. Sounds delicious. Have a great week.
Sherwynne says
The first time I made this, the dough was quite wet and produced a fabulous ciabatta. Today, however, the dough is quite dry and hasn’t risen as much. Not sure how it will cook up.
Rosemary says
Hi Sherwynne, if that happens then add an extra 1/4 cup of water (1 tablespoon a time) and yes the dough should be more wet than dry. Let me know how it went.
kepa says
this is great thank you 🙂 keeps getting better