Easy No Knead Ciabatta Bread
This is an Easy no Knead, One bowl Italian Ciabatta Bread. Two hours and you can have Homemade Bread for lunch or dinner. Perfect with your favorite soup or stew or with a slice or prosciutto!
When I moved to Italy, I discovered that bread was a very serious business! Fresh whether it be the local bakery or homemade fresh daily bread was a must.
Recipe Ingredients
- Water – lukewarm
- Honey
- Yeast – active dry
- Flour – all purpose flour or bread flour
- Salt
How to make a Ciabatta Bread Recipe
In a small bowl add water, honey and yeast, let sit 5-10 minutes then stir.
In a large bowl add the flour , make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and a little water, if the dough is too dry then add a little more flour a little at a time, until you reach a wettish dough. But remember Ciabatta is a high hydration bread, so do not over flour, or you will not get those lovely air pockets inside the bread.
Mix together with a wooden spoon, when almost mixed add the salt and combine. The ciabatta dough will be loose and sticky. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
Cover the bowl with a large tea towel or plastic wrap.
Place in a warm, draft free area and let the dough rise.
Carefully move the dough from the bowl with a bench scraper or spatula to the prepared baking sheet, making sure that the floured top of the dough remains on the top. Using wet hands can also help with moving the dough easier.
With a spatula or wet hands form the dough into an oblong loaf, place some 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 to the middle rack. Bake until golden and baked through. Immediately move to a wire rack to cool before cutting and serving.
Why do I add ice cubes or hot water?
Adding the ice cubes or hot water to the preheated oven creates steam. They melt and evaporate at just the right time. Once they evaporate and are no longer creating steam this gives the bread a chance to form that lovely outer crust.
I recommend using a thick metal dish rather than a glass or ceramic cake pan if you are using ice cubes as the difference in temperatures can cause the dish to crack.
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 which produced a very wet dough. It produces a very large crumb. And is considered a typical old fashioned Italian 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).
Can I substitute active dry yeast?
Yes you can substitute with instant yeast, for every teaspoon of active dry yeast use 3/4 teaspoon of instant yeast. Also be aware it won’t need as much time to rise.
How to store it
Keep the baked cooled bread, closed in an airtight bag, for 2-3 days. You can freeze it in freezer safe bags, defrost the bread in the refrigerator as needed, passing them in the oven for a few minutes to revive them. It will keep up to 2-3 months in the freezer.
This Homemade Ciabatta Bread is a simple and delicious bread. The perfect addition to whatever you are serving, amazing as a dipping bread also! I hope you enjoy it! Buon Appetito!
More delicious homemade bread recipes you may enjoy!
- Best Pizza Dough
- Homemade Olive Oil Bread Rolls
- Sweet Surprise Dessert Bread
- Easy Focaccia Bread
- Traditional Italian Ciabatta Bread
Homemade Italian Ciabatta Bread
Ingredients
- ¾-1 cup + 1 tablespoon water lukewarm (divided)
- ½ teaspoon honey (or granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (or bread flour) (divided) (273 grams total)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl add ¼ 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 ½ cup of water (if too dry then add the extra ¼ cup 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a wettish dough, or if too wet add more flour a tablespoon at a time). 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 1½ tablespoons of flour.
- Cover the bowl with a large tea towel, place in a warm, draft free area and let rise for 1½ hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1½ tablespoons of flour.
- Carefully move the dough from the bowl to the prepared baking 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 the baking sheet on the middle rack, bake for approximately 20 – 25 minutes. Move immediately to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
TO CREAT VAPOUR
- While the oven is pre-heating place an empty cake pan at the bottom of the oven, add 4-5 ice cubes or a cup of very hot water before adding the bread dough on the baking sheet to the middle shelf.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from November 27, 2018.
I tried making the bread. The crust was very hard and it didn’t brown.
Hi Jeanette, it could be your yeast wasn’t active anymore or your oven temperature is off.
Can I use sugar instead of honey?
Hi Connie, yes you can use 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. I hope you enjoy it.
3/4-1 cup + 1 tablespoon water ??
So 1 cup ? Add as needed ? 😬
Hi Karen, I use metric measurements and I convert to cups that’s why 1 tablespoon is included. 🙂
This worked first time and almost no effort.
I made one change: I formed the loaf on the paper and then transferred the it to a preheated tray in the oven.
Hi John, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Have a great week.
Hi
Can this be shaped into sandwich rolls?
Hi Stella, ciabatta is quite a wet dough, but if you can manage to form it into small rolls then yes it will work. Let me know how it goes.
Awesome Ciabatta
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it.
can i use bread flour i imagine it would be fine.
Hi Riker, yes that would work, no problem. Let me know how it goes. Have a great weekend.
Could I transfer the dough to the cookie sheet prior to letting it rise? Maybe I’m just not very careful but I feel like a lot of the air gets let out when I transfer
Hi Maris, yes I think that could work. Let me know how it goes.
Easy and tasty!
Hi Ariane, thanks so much. Have a great weekend.
Hello Rosemary,
Thank you for sharing your Ciabatta bread recipe which I made today. Absolutely delicious!!
Served with Ribollita, it hit all the right spots in our very cold weather!
It’s a keeper! 🙂
Hi Lesley, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. I envy your cold weather! Have a great week.
how should I store this? I have made two loafs and don’t know how to keep them fresh. The recipe is super easy and tastes delicious!
Hi Narelle, keep the baked cooled bread, closed in an airtight bag, for 2-3 days. You can freeze it in freezer safe bags, defrost the bread in the refrigerator as needed, passing them in the oven for a few minutes to revive them. It will keep up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Hope this helps.
when exactly do i place the ice cubes in the oven? after pre-heating when i put in the bread or at the start?
Hi Pookie, after pre-heating when you put the bread in. Let me know how it goes.
Good day,
I hope you are still safe and well!
your recipe intrigued me so much. I have not yet made it, but I was wondering if this recipe could freeze well? If so, is it possible to slice and portion it before putting it in the freezer?
Your advise would be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Clarissa
Hi Clarissa, yes you can freeze it, place the slices on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm, then place in a freezer safe container or bag. It should last about 3-6 months in the freezer. Hope that helps.
This is fabulous! Can’t believe how easy it is. I bake a lot of baguettes but they’ve got serious competition now. Thank you.
Hi Grandma Susan, thanks so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great Sunday.
Ok I’m making it now! Can I let it rise in the bowl for a lot longer until I get home tonight? Like 4 hours?? Also I doubled the recipe and separated into 2 bowls after I mixed it to let rise! Hope it turns out!
Hi Kiersten, I guess I was sleeping when you sent this, how did it turn out? It should have been ok or you could have let it rise in the fridge, and then bring it to room temperature for an hour. Let me know.