http://www.FrancescaBakery.com How to make ciabatta bread, the italian way. Ciabatta bread was introduced to North America in the 1980's, when a few select Chicago and Ohio bakeries imported some Italian talent to produce the ciabatta on a larger scale. In fact, the bread did require some skill to perfect here, but was so quickly accepted by the public as a specially Italian bread, the product rapidly expanded throughout the USA, Canada and Great Britain.

1. Ciabatta Bread.
What makes it so good?
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

2. Ciabatta Bread.
Ciabatta bread was introduced to North
America in the 1980's, when a few
select Chicago and Ohio bakeries
imported some Italian talent to produce
the ciabatta on a larger scale.
In fact, the bread did require some skill
to perfect here, but was so quickly
accepted by the public as a specially
Italian bread, the product rapidly
expanded throughout the USA, Canada
and Great Britain.
Ciabatta Bread.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

3. Ciabatta Bread. There are three distinct features of
Ciabatta that makes it so well loved. The
actual flavour of the bread, that comes
from using a "biga" or starter in the recipe,
the light but crispy outer shell, and the
tender heart of the bread filled with over-
sized air pockets.
All of these features require a delicate
balance of baking skill and patience.
Ciabatta Bread.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

4. Ciabatta Bread.
The biga, or commonly referred to as a "starter" in North
America is essentially a fraction of the recipe started well
before the actual recipe. In some cases more than 24
hours earlier. Technically, it is a pre-ferment and can be
used in virtually any kind of bread baking you like, but is
definitely a requirement for ciabatta and other breads
such as sour dough.
Now, what happens to this mini dough recipe is that the
yeast has time to actually ferment at room temperature,
and this is where the basis of the flavour of ciabatta
starts. Using a starter adds flavour complexity as well as
texture. When the full recipe is made, the biga is added to
the flour and yeast mixture, essentially combining to
different yeast and flour doughs to create one.
A biga is also known as a poolish,
starter, or pre-ferment.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

5. Ciabatta Bread.
The crispy outer shell is partially because of
this biga, but also with the ingredients itself.
A ciabatta dough is much more loose, even
wet when preparing. This is why it's called
"ciabatta" because that means "slipper" in
Italian.
You should really not be able to form a
ciabatta dough into something like a
traditional loaf. It sort of spreads out, like a
slipper on the pan, which is also why the
shape of a ciabatta bread can take on
many (somewhat flat) forms.
A biga is also known as a poolish,
starter, or pre-ferment.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

6. Ciabatta Bread.
The airy pockets inside a
ciabatta are a result of the wet
dough mixture, and the folding of
the dough during the raising
process.
Our ciabatta bread goes through
12 hours of raising and folding
before it goes in the oven.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

7. Ciabatta Bread.
The characteristics of Ciabatta make it
an excellent bread for sandwiches,
paninis, or cold cut platters with
antipasto.
You can also make some amazing
salad and soup croutons with the
crusts too.
Tuesday, 28 May, 13

8. Ciabatta Bread.
We invite you to come into
Francesca Bakery and try
our authentic Ciabatta bread.
Francesca Bakery
FrancescaBakery.com
2 Invergordon Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M1S 2Y8
416-299-1174
Tuesday, 28 May, 13