Easy Cooking Recipes of Homemade Ciabatta Bread by Jenny Jones
Look what I made! It was just an experiment but it turned out to be amazing! Anyone can make no knead bread without a Dutch oven. The secret is to create steam inside the oven just like it’s created inside a Dutch oven. And it’s easy. Steam is what makes a crispy crust and it’s really easy. What you do is put a small pan in the oven before you preheat it and then when it’s hot, you put in the bread to bake and pour some hot water into the small pan and it bursts into steam right away and fills up the oven. Then you quickly close the oven door to keep the steam inside and after 30 minutes, you will have an amazing loaf of ciabatta bread with a soft interior full of lovely holes and a beautiful golden crispy crust.
You can use a variety of pans to create the steam (do a Google search for ideas if you like) but I find that process is not easy on the pan. I prefer this disposable foil pan because it’s small and fits right next to the baking pan in my oven. But if it does not fit on the same rack as your baking pan, just place it on a rack below. You may have to remove a rack to make room but whether beside the bread or on a rack below, keep it off to the side and don’t put it directly under the bread. Either way, place the muffin pan close to the front for easy access. Here is how I place mine and how you can place it below if your oven is smaller.
I pour about 3/4 cup of hot tap water into 3 or 4 of the muffin cups. It’s good to use an oven glove when you pour the hot water because it creates steam right away and be sure to close the oven door immediately so the steam can’t escape. You can re-use the muffin pan, although it will turn dark. So there it is. I hope my photos help and now everyone who does not have a Dutch oven will be able to make this fabulous no knead, easy, homemade crusty ciabatta bread.
Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones
Recipes of No Knead Ciabatta Bread
No Dutch oven needed. Pouring hot water into a hot pan to create steam in the oven is what gives a crispy crust. Various oven-safe pans work but it’s hard on the pans so I use (& re-use) a disposable foil 6-cup muffin pan, placed near the bread. You can start this dough the night before by switching to COOL water and let the dough rest overnight on the counter top for 8 to 24 hours. Aerate your flour before measuring! – Jenny Jones
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
- Makes: One loaf
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour (360 gms)
- 1/4 teaspoon yeast (active dry or instant)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups hot water, not boiling (354 mL) – I use hot tap water – about 125-130° F (about 2 Tablespoons extra flour for shaping)
Instructions:
- Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Stir in water until it’s well combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours dough will become puffy and dotted with bubbles. Transfer it to a well-floured surface and sprinkle dough with a little flour. Using a scraper fold dough over 10-12 times & shape into a rough 12-inch loaf.
- Place on a parchment paper-lined baking pan and cover with a towel. Let stand on counter top for 35 minutes.
- Meantime place a disposable 6-cup muffin pan or other small pan in the oven, making sure there is room for your pan – if not, place the tin on a lower rack. Preheat oven to 450° F.
- After a 35-minute rest, the dough will puff up a little. Place it in the oven and carefully pour about 3/4 cup of hot tap water into 3 or 4 muffin cups or small pan. Close oven door immediately and bake for 30 minutes.
