Ciabatta bread - this one worked out really well, fast and easy

[al6517]

I always make my own bag's from wax paper, I just fold the 3 edges over twice then staple them, slide the bread in and fold over the top, it works great and keeps the bread just right plus you can make them to fit any size loaf.

AL

 

[bigmike&nan]

Got ciabatta rolls baking as I write this. This time we left the chickens in the coop as it first snowed and now is raining, what a mess out there.
The dough really rose nicely on these after cutting and flipping.

As for my adhering to the process, my bad: I used the paddle about 5 minutes and let the dough rest. Then after 10 minutes used the dough hook for about 15 minutes. (note to Mikey: read the directions VERY carefully next time big fella).
This time I DID remember to flip the pieces back over, anxious to try this. Gonna make burger patties up today and we're having burgers on ciabatta rolls tonight !!!




And I have to repeat the sentiments of others, this thread was so great as it was going - for me it was especially carthartic having "company" online.
THANKS

 

[bigmike&nan]

Well I let them cool some and split on and applied COLD BUTTER to it, fabulous.
Later I split one and into the toaster oven it went while I assembled sandwich fixings:
1 slice Honey Baked Ham
1 slice swiss
5 slices of tomato
2 large leaves of romaine folded
Mikey's Magic Sauce

Laid down some of my sauce on each inside of the bread after it was toasty, then laid down the ham, the tomato slices, the cheese and the romaine. WOW !!
Tonight burgers with an Asian Slaw - I might just pile all my stuff into one of these loaves.


Insight from the bake: ya gotta do the 2nd run of the paddle attachment about 10 minutes !! GOT TO. It'll give your bread that characteristic Ciabatta holes throughout. Also the run with the dough hook, 15 minutes. So roughly 25 minutes of mixer action. This definitely calls for a Kitchen Aid, you need the big motor's torque and ability to run for long periods of time. I have the 6 quart model. LOVE IT.
The cut and flip worked out great. I have a really hot oven, so I baked at 475, next time I might bake at 500 as described just to get a little more color on my loaves.

Mikey's Magic Sauce:

Mis en Place:
2 Tbls Honey
1 Tbls teriyaki sauce
1/2 Tsp Seasoning Salt
1/2 Tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/2 Tsp Dry Tarragon leaves
1 Tbls Mae Ploy sweet and hot sauce
2 Tbls Rice Wine Vinegar

3 Tbls Sesame Oil
3 Tbls EVO

Mix the 1st group of ingredients in the bowl until they are really well blended, don't slack on this one. Next slowly drizzle in the sesame oil while beating the mixture quickly with a whisk, keep at it. Then slowly beat in the EVO with the whisk until you have a nice emulsion that stays together. Taste for S&P... Use as a salad dressing, a garnish for sandwiches or a dipping sauce for pot stickers.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Al that's a great idea, making your bags from wax paper. I'll try that! I have some out of the freezer now and they are too damp, transferring them to one of your bags after they thawed out on racks might have been perfect. I simply threw them on the counter still in the freezer bag this time, I had the flu and it was my disinterest in food acting. Normally I thaw on the racks then put buns back in bags. Loaves seem to do OK thawed in bags.

Mike those look great, and I agree, there is no way any to do this without the Kitchen Aid, and someone to make sure the Kitchen Aid stays on the counter! LOL mine was 'walking' by the time the dough was ready. Interesting that you found the paddle necessary, I had not tried it without so I will keep that in mind. See how much clearer the recipe becomes when we all try it together? Win Win!

 

[redhen]

 

[AhBee01]

To the O P thanks for the recipe it looks yummy! I will try this soon.
Question, can I use whole wheat flour? If so will I have to add gluten?

To Bigmike,

asian viniagrette to toss the salad in, then fill up the loaf with that. It's really VERY good and quite healthy too.

can you plz post this recipe, or is it the one you posted as Mike magic sauce?
Thanks, brenda​

 

[bigmike&nan]

I use a number of asian style dressings - sometimes a peanut sauce dressing when having asian slaw with pot stickers:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=167457

probably one of my favorite asian style dressings is something I got from a woman in my old congregation in California - for years a friend and I ramrodded the monthly church potluck and this woman brought the same amazing salad every time. It's healthy, easy and oh so good:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=164420

And then a lot of times I do a variation of the Magic Sauce for a dressing. We eat a lot of asian salads to keep the weight factor down and I have to make each batch a little different just to avoid the drabs.
Good luck - and enjoy. DO try Judy's Asian Salad.

 

[bigmike&nan]

Back on topic a bit - when I made the ciabatta rolls I froze half of them. The first batch disappeared in no time. Sunday while the first football game was finishing up I started a great pasta sauce with italian sausage in it. We had caviatelli pasta with that sauce and I split one of the ciabatta rolls, toasted it in the toaster oven, buttered it and then crushed a large clove of garlic and brushed it all over each buttered half, then sprinkled a little of the reggianno parmesan I had grated for the pasta over each toasted roll. It was sooo good even my wife (on Weight Watchers) ate her share of it (darn !!). LOL

I spent some time looking at ciabatta recipes online and on YouTube - most interesting is that they all make a starter (yeast, sugar, water and 1 cup flour) that they mix up and let rest covered overnight. The next day it is added to what we would consider a regular ciabbata dough recipe forumla. Very nice looking results. Not a sourdough per se, but made in the same way: a starter added to a regular dough.

I am so satisfied with this recipe it will always be in my repertoire but I will still try the others too.

 

[vfem]

I have to admit, I never bother with the other recipes because of the over night wait for the starter. (Which reminds me, I WILL do that for sourdough as its my FAVORITE ever!!!)

So this recipe of course got my attention ASAP, and I WILL be doing this regularly.

So Mike, do you store these a special way for next day crispness? Or you just freeze left overs?

I'm planning another batch this week, and want to make sure I don't make too much if it won't store well again. Part of the last batch was given away and the chickens got the left overs when the crust went too soft for me.

I would also like to know your favorite sour dough recipe? ...as I've only done it twice, and neither one was a home run for me!

 

[bigmike&nan]

Vfem

For us making the dough into rolls works best. We freeze them in bags of 4 or 5 depending on the size and freeze them. Takes like about 4 hours for them to thaw enough for us to use them. We freeze them because there is no way we'd eat them quick enough - I like the idea of waxed bags, been tempted to grab myself some at a chain store I used to work at, but really for US the freezing is our best option. That garlic bread last night with the caviatelli was the bomb.

I don't have a sourdough recipe I use - I used to live in San Francisco and sourdough was so easy to buy - loved going walking down on the bay. A healthy pace from Aquatic Park where I'd park to Fisherman's Wharf area would justify any caloric intake that might occur down there. Loved watching the bakers at the Boudin shop crank out the sourdough sculptured loaves: frogs, turtles, crabs. Really screaming good bread too. I was taught that San Francisco has a unique bacteria in the air that lends itself to the creation of really good sourdough starter/bread.


http://www.boudinbakery.com/index.cfm?page_id=6