A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few photos of this bread on MsM’s facebook page and did get quite a few requests for the recipe, both online and via email. So, here you have it: quick no-knead Ciabatta bread! It is a really simple recipe and, unlike other no-knead bread recipes, it is also very quick to make. You don’t need to leave the dough to proof for many many hours… the normal proofing time is enough. The taste will be slightly different than the one of the usual no-knead bread, as the yeast bacteria don’t have that much time to fully develop, but I love it like this. And it’s so much cheaper than store bought bread!! Besides, you can have amazing tasting home-made bread in 2 hours, from beginning to end. How great is that? I haven’t bought any bread since I started to make this. I can make it in the morning and know it will be ready for lunch! I always make a double dose and freeze it, as my girls LOVE bread so much, they could eat it all in a day!! Ciabatta is my absolute favourite bread, so I am really really happy to share this recipe with all of you! Enjoy!
Quick No- Knead Ciabatta Bread
A recipe for some amazing Quick No- Knead Ciabatta Bread, ready in under 2 hours!
Ingredients
- 700 gms – 5 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 520 gms water – 2 ¼ cups lukewarm
- 7 gms – 2 ½ tsp dry yeast
- 17 gms – 3 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp honey
Instructions
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Dissolve the yeast and honey in the water. Mix well and let it activate for 5 minutes or until frothy.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add ¾ of the flour and salt. Mix and add the yeast and water mixture.
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Whisk well, then add the remaining flour and whisk until just combined (you can do all the whisking by hand as well, without using an electric mixer).
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Sprinkle a little water on the bench top. Place 4 pieces of plastic wrap on the wet bench top and sprinkle some flour onto them.
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Put 1/4 of the dough on each piece of plastic wrap
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Punch down the dough and mold each piece of dough into a ciabatta shape without tugging it too much or it will gain too much strength. Make sure your dough is not very thick (about 2.5 cm – 1 inch thick is ideal).
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Pick up one piece of plastic wrap and flip it over a baking tray lined with baking paper to drop a ciabatta so that the side covered in flour faces upwards.
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Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C – 390°F for 30 – 35 minutes. Put a small pot of hot water in the oven to maintain a high level of humidity for the first 15 minutes, then remove it and bake for the remaining 15 – 20 minutes.
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When ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack.
Recipe Notes
This bread freezes very well. I usually make a double batch and freeze it in Ziploc bags as soon as it cools down to room temperature. When you want to eat it, thaw it at room temperature and put it back in a hot oven for 5 minutes, or until the crust is crunchy again. It will be exactly the same as when you first baked it!
This sounds so delicious! Can’t wait to try it:)
Is there anything better than really good olive oil and a touch of balsamic scooped up with a bite of that ciabatta? I think not!
I tried this recipe (halved) earlier this week, putting the ingredients in the bread maker on the dough cycle, then ran out the door to meet a friend at the gym. When I got home I had perfectly raised dough which I then shaped and baked. For those of us who don’t have a bench top, I used my (cold) glass stove top to put the plastic wrap on. I just have to say that this is one of the best breads I have ever baked or eaten! The texture was perfect, the crust was perfect, the taste was perfect! I was especially impressed that this was achieved without starting a day ahead to make the poolish (or biga). This will now be my go-to recipe for a crunchy, Italian-style bread! Thank you for sharing this!
Rating this is a no brainer…. As EASY 5 stars! Incredibly easy AND delicious!!
I made this recipe last week and the bread only lasted two days in my house. It was a instant hit with my boys and my husband is asking for more! I’ll have to double the recipe this time.
It was super quick and easy to make. After crunching the numbers, it comes out to about 2 calories per gram of baked bread. This bread is totally worth the calories!
Made the easy ( yes) Ciabatta. 4 loves looking beautiful. Followed the recipe. Small pan of water in the oven etc…. Density more then the airy type bread I had expected. Where have I gone wrong? Keep in mind, I live in the “Mile high city of Colorado + 200 feet more in my location. Thank you for your consideration of different altitudes.
It may have something to do with the altitude. I have found this interesting article about bread baking: http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Bread-Recipes-for-High-Altitude You may want to try adding an additional rising cycle and/or add a bit more water to the dough. Let me know if it works. 🙂
Thank you!! Consideration in high altitude areas is a huge ” thank you”. Definitely will try those different “measures”, & continue following your inspirational recipes .
Hello from Greece!
Thank you fot this wonderful recipe! I’ve been making it for the last 3 months and never failed!
Have a nice day!
Hi Anastasia! THANK YOU so much for stopping by and letting me know! I am so glad you like it! It is my go-to recipe for bread! Cheers! <3