Best Ciabatta Recipes

CIABATTA

Steps:

• To Make Sponge: In a small bowl stir together 1/8 teaspoon of the yeast and the warm water and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In a bowl stir together yeast mixture, 1/3 cup of the water, and 1 cup of the bread flour. Stir 4 minutes, then cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sponge stand at cool room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
• To Make Bread: In a small bowl stir together yeast and milk and let stand 5 minutes, or until creamy. In bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with dough hook blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil, and flour at low speed until flour is just moistened; add salt and mix until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Scrape dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough will be sticky and full of air bubbles.) Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface and cut in half. Transfer each half to a parchment sheet and form into an irregular oval about 9 inches long. Dimple loaves with floured fingers and dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened kitchen towel. Let loaves rise at room temperature until almost doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• At least 45 minutes before baking ciabatta, put a baking stone on oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 425 F (220 degrees C).
• Transfer 1 loaf on its parchment to a rimless baking sheet with a long side of loaf parallel to far edge of baking sheet. Line up far edge of baking sheet with far edge of stone or tiles, and tilt baking sheet to slide loaf with parchment onto back half of stone or tiles. Transfer remaining loaf to front half of stone in a similar manner. Bake ciabatta loaves 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool loaves on a wire rack.

CHEF JOHN'S NO-KNEAD CIABATTA

Steps:

• Place white and wheat flour in a large bowl. Add salt, yeast, and water. Mix until a wet sticky dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Cover with foil. Allow dough to rise for 18 hours at room temperature. It should not be too warm.
• Punch dough down with a spatula and fold it over a few times.
• Lightly grease a heavy-rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with cornmeal.
• Lightly spray a work surface with water. Place a long sheet of plastic wrap on the damp surface to hold it in place. Sprinkle plastic wrap with flour. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Gently stretch and pull dough into a long, flat rectangular shape, 12 to 15 inches long. Bring plastic sheet to edge of prepared pan and flip the dough into the prepared pan. Reshape the dough, if necessary. Dust with flour. Cover with a light dry towel. Let rise about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake dough in preheated oven until loaf is nicely browned, 35 to 45 minutes.

CIABATTA (ITALIAN SLIPPER BREAD)

Steps:

• Make sponge: Stir together, warm water and yeast.
• Let stand 5 minutes, until creamy.
• Transfer yeast mixture to another bowl and add room-temp water and flour.
• Stir for 4 minutes.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Let stand at cool room temp at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
• Make bread: Stir together yeast and milk in small bowl and let stand 5 minutes, until creamy.
• In bowl of standing electric mixer, with dough hook, blend together milk mixture, sponge, water, oil and flour at low speed until flour is moistened.
• Beat on medium for 3 minutes.
• Add salt and beat for 4 more minutes.
• Scrape dough into oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap, until doubled- about 1 1/2 hours.
• Note: Dough will be VERY sticky and full of bubbles.
• Cut two pieces of parchment paper, approx 12 inches by 6 inches.
• Place on baking sheet and flour well.
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and cut in half.
• Transfer each half to paper and form irregular ovals approx 9 inches long.
• Dip fingers in flour and dimple loaves.
• Dust tops with flour.
• Cover with dampened kitchen towel and let rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until almost doubled.
• At least 45 minutes before baking bread, pre-heat pizza stone on lowest oven rack position at 425°F.
• Transfer 1 loaf, along with parchment paper, onto stone and bake for 20 minutes or until pale golden.
• Remove to cooling racks and repeat with second loaf.

CIABATTA STUFFING WITH CHESTNUTS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

GARLIC CIABATTA BREAD (INA GARTEN BAREFOOT CONTESSA BACK TO BASI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the first five ingredients in a food processor and chop until finely minced. In a medium saute pan heat the olive oil over low heat and then add the garlic mixture. Cook on low for 3-5 minutes until garlic is tender - do not let the garlic brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Cut the bread in half, horizontally and spoon the oil-garlic mixture on the bottom half. Butter the top half of bread and then place the two halves together again. Wrap in tin foil and put on sheet pan.
• Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the tin foil and discard and bake for an additional 5 minutes. slice crosswise and serve warm.

GRILLED EGGPLANT AND FRESH MOZZARELLA ON CIABATTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS, GARLIC MAYONNAISE, FRESH BASIL AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Combine the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Heat a grill to high.
• Brush the eggplant on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Brush the peppers with oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until charred on all sides, remove, place in a bowl, cover and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and the seeds.
• Put bread on the grill, cut side down, and grill for 30 seconds to warm through and crisp slightly. Spread the bread with the mayonnaise mixture and top the bottom half with eggplant, peppers, cheese, basil and arugula. Cover with the top of the bread and serve.

SOURDOUGH CIABATTA

Steps:

• Sourdough Starter
• Build a 100% hydration (or higher) sourdough starter over a couple of days until it is more than 550g in weight, about 4 1/2 cups volume, active and floating.
• There are numerous, equally effective ways to get this amount of active starter. I fed my starter and refrigerated it at about 2 cups in volume. On baking day, I put 220g of starter in a large bowl, fed it 150g of all-purpose flour and 180g of water. In volume, this is approximately 1 cup starter, 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water. Several hours later, it was over four cups in volume and it floated.
• Hand Mixing Instructions
• Mix together in a large bowl all of the ingredients (flour, active starter, water, olive oil, salt) except the additional 75g of water. I used a danish dough whisk until the ingredients were incorporated. Mark the time here if you like to track fermentation this way.
• Develop the gluten in the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes or until the dough passes the windowpane test. Use one hand to turn the bowl and the other hand to scrape, scoop and pull the dough around the bowl in the opposite direction. Feel free to take breaks and do not worry about pausing the clock. Here is a video of this mixing technique.
• Add the additional 75g of water and gently fold and squeeze it into the dough.
• Stand Mixer Instructions
• If you prefer to use a stand mixer, you can put all of the ingredients including the extra 75g of water into the mixer bowl at once and use the paddle attachment on med speed for 5 minutes and then the dough hook attachment on med speed for 2 minutes or until dough passes the windowpane test.
• After Mixing
• Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• For the first stretch and fold, lift the dough with a dough scraper from one side and flop it over to the opposite side. Do four sides, twice around.
• Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• For the second stretch and fold, lightly oil a new bowl, scrape the dough into the new bowl and stretch and fold using the dough scraper from all four sides once around.
• Cover and let rest 60 minutes.
• For the third stretch and fold, wet your fingertips and gently pull the sides of the dough off the bowl and toward the center of the dough. After you have done this around the entire bowl, scoop the dough up with both hands coming from the sides and downward (so that the dough is like a droopy cat with your hands in the middle). Do not pull hard and rip the dough if it does not come off the bowl easily. Lay it back down and scoop again but from the other sides. Repeat both directions a second time.
• Cover and let ferment until puffy and roughly doubled.
• My bulk fermentation from the initial mixing of the dough was 4 hours at a room temperature of 79F.
• Heavily flour your countertop, then scrape/pour the dough onto it. Flour your hands repeatedly and gently slide your fingers under the dough from all sides to pull it outward into a rectangular shape about 1/2 an inch thick.
• This technique does not de-gas the dough, and seems to encourage big irregular holes in the crumb. I also made a batch where I pressed the dough into a rectangle, de-gassing it, and I got more regular holes in the crumb. Both techniques work well in my opinion.
• Flip the bottom half of the dough onto the top half (fold along the long side of the rectangle.) You will now have a narrower rectangle with a floured top (and bottom).
• Gently cut the dough into 3 square-ish pieces. See photo gallery.
• Prepare a linen couche with a lot of flour. Create channels, as in this photo and the photo in the gallery below, wide enough to lay the dough slipper in. You can also use tea towels or parchment paper.
• Using a bench scraper, transfer the three slippers to the couche. In the transfer, you can gently stretch the slippers to be a little longer.
• Loosely cover and let proof for about 1 hour (longer at temps under 75F).
• If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven. You can also cook the slippers on a metal cookie sheet or upside down cast iron pan. (Do not use a dark non-stick surface because of the high oven temperature).
• Prepare to create steam early in the baking process. You can put a cast iron pan on the shelf under the baking stone. Or you can create a drip system by putting an aluminum pan with a pinhole in the oven under the stone, and a metal cookie sheet on the base of the oven. When making the pinhole, test over your sink that water drips through it about 1-2 drops a second. This system was devised by Breadtopia community member @peevee.
• My heating element is exposed on the bottom of my oven, so the aluminum pan drips onto the bottom of the oven rather than a cookie sheet, which works fine too.
• Preheat your oven to 500 F for 30 minutes before the dough finishes proofing. If you are baking on a cookie sheet, a 15 minute preheat should be enough.
• When proofing is complete, flip your slippers over onto three narrow sheets of parchment paper, place them on a pizza peel (an upside-down cookie sheet can be a peel too), and slide the slippers onto your preheated stone or cookie sheet.
• I fit three ciabatta slippers on my stone with a little careful adjustment, but you can do two batches if needed.
• Pour a cup of water onto the aluminum tray or cast iron pan that is under your stone or cookie sheet, and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam.
• Bake at 500 F for 10 minutes. Then remove the parchment paper and rotate the slippers 180 degrees if your oven seems to brown unevenly.
• Bake an additional 8-10 minutes at 450 F.
• Important After baking, turn off the oven, crack open the door a couple of inches, and leave the slippers in the oven for another 5 minutes. This will make the crust crunchier.
• If you make rolls or larger slippers, adjust your cooking time accordingly. Internal temperature should be about 205 F.
• Let cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
• For most purposes (olive oil and tomatoes, butter and blue cheese, BBQ pulled meat), I like to slice a slipper horizontally and then into roll-size pieces 3-4 inches wide.

SOURDOUGH CIABATTA BREAD

Steps:

• Place water, milk, olive oil, sourdough starter, sugar, salt, flour, and vital wheat gluten in a bread machine in the order listed. Sprinkle yeast over flour. Start Dough cycle. Remove dough from the machine after the cycle is done, about 90 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Flour hands and a bench knife well before handling the dough, but try not to add too much extra flour to the dough itself. Divide dough into 3 equal sections and form into round loaves. Place loaves on pieces of generously floured parchment paper and cover with large bowls, not touching the loaves themselves. Let rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes.
• Place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Carefully lift 1 piece of parchment paper by the ends and transfer to the hot Dutch oven. Place lid back on the Dutch oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaf is golden, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until top is golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes more. Lift up loaf with with parchment paper and place on a towel to cool. Bake remaining 2 loaves in the same way.

CIABATTA

Steps:

• The night before, make the biga (see tip, below). Stir yeast with 50ml warm water, stand for 10 mins, then add another 80ml warm water. Gradually add the flour in a stand mixer on its lowest setting. Once it's a wet dough, transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover and leave for 12 hours or overnight at room temperature.
• In the morning, combine the yeast and milk and leave to stand for 10 mins. Tip into a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook, add 160ml water, the biga and the olive oil. Then add the flour and 1 heaped tsp salt. Use the dough hook of a stand mixer to combine the dough. Knead for 10 mins until smooth and elastic. Don't worry if it looks very wet, it should to be a very wet dough! Pour into a well-oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove for an hour and a half or until doubled in size.
• Once rested, begin to do a series of folds - lift the dough from the edge, pull up, over, then release it. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and do the same again. Repeat so you do a full turn of the bowl twice, or 8 folds. Rest for 30 mins, then repeat the whole folding process once more.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 6. Tip the dough onto a really well-floured surface and cut in half. The dough will feel like a batter and spread across the surface a bit, but don't panic, just work on a well-floured surface, using the flour and a pastry scraper to help move the dough. Shape the dough into 2 large squares (about 20cm x 20cm). Dealing with each loaf at a time, fold the dough in from each side, as if folding a booklet. Flip over, then pick up the roll and place each onto separate well-floured sheets of baking paper. The roll will be very soft, so oil or flour your hands well. Allow to rest for another 30 mins, covered with a floured tea towel. Don't worry if it spreads a little.
• While the dough rests, heat a baking sheet in the oven. Once the dough has rested, slide each of the loaves, along with the baking paper beneath them, onto the hot baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 mins, until the crust is golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base. Move to a wire rack and cool for an hour before slicing and serving with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

ARTICHOKE PESTO ON CIABATTA

Steps:

• In a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Run the machine to finely chop all the ingredients, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. Then, with the machine running, drizzle in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon the pesto into the cups of an ice cube tray. Tapping the tray gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Freeze for 1 day or up to 1 month.
• When ready to serve, thaw the pesto. Mix in the Parmesan. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the ciabatta slices with the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Grill until toasted, about 5 minutes. Spread the artichoke pesto over the toasted slices and serve.

CIABATTA

Steps:

• Make the starter: Using your hands, combine flour, yeast, and water in a bowl. Gently work to form a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at cool room temperature until it has risen slightly and is bubbling, 12 to 15 hours.
• Make the dough: Whisk together flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and starter, and stir with a rubber spatula until mixture comes together in a slightly sticky, loosely formed ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Gently turn dough onto an unfloured work surface. Sprinkle with salt, and drizzle with oil. To incorporate oil into bread, use the heel of one hand to stretch half of the dough away from you at the same time your other hand is stretching the other half toward you. Fold in half, and repeat until oil has been completely incorporated (dough will no longer have a sheen to it and there should be no oil on work surface).
• To knead: Gather dough, lifting it above work surface. Hold one end of dough close to you while you cast the other end in front of you, onto the surface. Pull the end of dough in your hands toward you, stretching it gently, then fold the dough in half on top of itself. Repeat: Lift, cast, stretch, and fold. Knead the dough until it is smooth, supple, and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a dough scraper to clean the surface as needed, adding the scraps to the dough. (Dough will be very sticky, but avoid adding more flour until the end, when it may be necessary to add a very small amount. Add the flour to your fingers, not the dough.) Form into a ball.
• Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise at cool room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Gently turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. (Do not punch dough to deflate.) Fold into thirds, as you would a business letter. Then fold it in half crosswise. Return to bowl, cover, and let rise at cool room temperature until it has almost doubled, at least 75 minutes.
• Gently turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a dough scraper or a knife, divide dough into 2 equal portions. Cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, spread each portion of dough into a rectangle that's roughly 6 by 4 inches. (Be careful not to deflate bubbles.) Fold dough into thirds again, as you would a business letter, pressing seams with lightly floured fingers. Place dough, seam side down, on a generously floured linen towel or a baking sheet lined with floured parchment. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise at cool room temperature until it has almost doubled and a floured finger pressed into side leaves a slight indentation, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Place a skillet on oven rack adjusted to lowest position and a baking stone on middle oven rack. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If using a linen towel, gently transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Just before baking, stretch each portion into a 10-by-4-inch rectangle. Immediately dimple entire surface with lightly floured fingers. Pour 1/2 cup hot water into skillet in oven. Slide bread and parchment onto baking stone.
• Immediately reduce oven to 450 degrees. Bake, rotating once, until bread is golden brown, sounds hollow when bottom is thumped, and interior registers 205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on wire racks. Bread is best the day you make it.

SUNNY'S GRILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH CHILE-CHEESE CIABATTA TOAST

Steps:

• For the soup: Preheat a grill for direct and indirect cooking or oven to 400 degrees F. If using a grill, set a wire rack directly on the grill grate.
• Brush the asparagus and scallions all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place over the direct heat of the grill. Cook, turning a few times, until limber and partially charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board.
• Make the toast: In a small bowl mix the jam and sambal. Spread on the cut side of the rolls. Divide and pile the cheese on top of the jam on each roll and place over the indirect heat of the grill (directly on the grates or on a baking sheet). Cook, covered, until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Build the soup. Transfer the grilled veggies to a cutting board and roughly chop. Add to the jar of a blender. Add the stock, yogurt and parsley and blend until smooth.
• Put the soup, lemon zest, garlic and salt to taste in a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
• To finish the soup: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice and honey. Pour the soup into bowls. Spoon 3 drops of the yogurt mixture into each bowl and run a skewer in a circle through the yogurt mixture to make a decorative pattern.
• Serve the toast alongside the soup.

SPROUTED WHEAT SOURDOUGH CIABATTA

Steps:

• MIXING AND BULK FERMENTATION
• Combine all the ingredients in a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed about a minute until combined and then scrape down the sides. Then mix on medium-low speed for about 5 minutes and then transfer the dough to a clean bowl. Alternately or additionally, mix in a bowl with a stiff spatula and then with the Rubaud Method for 2-10 minutes (the longer time is if you take breaks). After mixing, note the time and room temperature if you like to track fermentation this way.
• Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Do three gentle stretch and folds, spaced 25-45 minutes apart. Use damp fingertips or a dough scraper to pull the dough from the sides of the bowl and fold it over (four sides, twice around). Cover after each stretch and fold.
• Let ferment until bubbly and roughly doubled. This was a little over 4 hours from mixing in summer house temps (75-78F).
• SHAPING
• Flour your countertop, then scrape the dough out of the bowl.
• Flour your hands and gently slide your fingers under the dough from all sides to pull it outward into a square shape about 1/2 an inch thick. Do not flour the surface of the dough as this will be the interior of your slippers.
• Using a bench scraper, fold the rectangle of dough in half on itself. Then cut the dough in pieces. I went with five small slippers, almost like large rolls. Of note I did not do a bench rest and reshape. It was about 10 minutes from bowl to couche.
• Using a bench scraper and your free hand, transfer the slippers to the channels of a heavily floured couche or tea towel. The slippers will scrunch up a bit as you gather them, but you can adjust and stretch them out again as you lay them in the couche.
• Loosely cover the slippers with the couche itself or with another tea towel.
• PROOFING AND OVEN PREP
• Let the slippers proof for about 30 minutes at warm room temperatures, longer in cool temps.
• If you have a baking stone or steel, put it in the oven. You can also cook the slippers on a metal cookie sheet. (Do not use a dark non-stick surface because of the high oven temperature.)
• Prepare to create steam early in the baking process. You can put a cast iron pan on the shelf under the baking stone. Or you can create a drip system by putting an aluminum pan with a pinhole in the oven under the stone, and a metal cookie sheet on the base of the oven. When making the pinhole, test over your sink that water drips through it about 1-2 drops a second. My heating element is exposed on the bottom of my oven, so the aluminum pan drips onto the bottom of the oven rather than a cookie sheet, which works fine too. (See gallery for photo of setup.)
• Preheat your oven and stone to 500 F for 30 minutes as the dough proofs. If you are baking on a cookie sheet, a 15 minute preheat should be enough.
• BAKING
• When proofing is complete, flip the slippers onto pieces of parchment paper, and slide the slippers onto your preheated stone. You can use a pizza peel or a cold upside down cookie sheet to transfer the slippers.
• Immediately pour a cup of water onto the aluminum tray or cast iron pan that is under your stone, and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam.
• Bake at 500 F for 10 minutes. Then remove the parchment paper and rotate the slippers 180 degrees if your oven seems to brown unevenly.
• Bake an additional 5-10 minutes at 450 F.
• After baking, turn off the oven, crack open the door a couple of inches, and leave the slippers in the oven for another 5 minutes. This will make the crust crunchier.
• Internal temperature should be about 205 F.
• Let cool on a rack for about one hour before slicing.

'WICHCRAFT'S ROASTED TURKEY, AVOCADO, BACON, ONION RELISH, & AïOLI ON CIABATTA

Steps:

• Make onion relish:
• In heavy medium pot, combine onions and enough water to cover and bring to boil, then strain. Return onions to pot and add sugar, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. Place over moderate heat and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onions are completely tender and have no bite left, about one and a half hours. (The liquid should be syrupy and coat the onions.) Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Make aïoli:
• In food processor or blender, purée yolk, garlic, mustard, and vinegar until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Combine oils, then, with motor running, slowly drizzle into processor until completely emulsified, about 2 minutes. (If aïoli gets too thick, add a small amount of warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time.) Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and pepperoncini, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook bacon:
• In large, heavy skillet over moderate heat, cook 6 slices bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with tongs to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining 6 slices. Set aside.
• Assemble sandwiches:
• Slice each ciabatta in half and place on large baking sheet. Place 4 ounces turkey on each of four ciabatta bottoms, then spread onion relish over meat. Lay 3 slices bacon on each of 4 ciabatta tops. Transfer baking sheet to oven and toast until bacon is crispy and edges of ciabatta turn light golden brown, about 5 minutes (the turkey does not have to get hot). Remove from oven and transfer bacon to other side of ciabatta, laying on top of onion relish. Divide avocado slices between sandwiches, placing on top of bacon. Spread aïoli evenly across each ciabatta top, close sandwiches, slice each in half, and serve.

DEVILED MUSHROOMS ON TOASTED CIABATTA

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high.
• Heat the butter in a non-stick pan with the olive oil, until the butter begins to foam, add the sliced shallots and gently saute for 2-3 minutes, or until they have softened.
• Add the halved mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes, over a moderate heat, or until they have softened and are golden.
• Add the paprika, stir well, then add the Worcestershire sauce and the mustard, stir well and cook for a further minute, before adding the sour cream.
• Lower the heat, and gently heat the cream through for 1 minute.
• Meanwhile rub the slices of bread with the garlic, cut side down and place place the slices of bread onto a baking sheet, then under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes, on each side, or until toasted and golden.
• Remove the toasted slices from the grill, place them onto a serving plate and spoon the mushroom mix over the top.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve.
• Chef's Note: Chestnut mushrooms are a closed cup mushroom with a wonderfully rich flavour. If you cannot find these, use flat field mushrooms which are always great, but may need a little more cooking.

CIABATTA STUFFING WITH CHESTNUTS, MUSHROOMS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes.
• In a large bowl, add the sauteed vegetables, the chestnuts, Parmesan and bread. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Add the cooked pancetta and eggs. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Stir to completely combine all the ingredients.
• Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Bake until the stuffing is heated through and the top is golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

GARLIC & BASIL CIABATTA

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Beat together the mayonnaise, butter and garlic cloves until smooth. Chop basil, stir through and season with salt and pepper. Put the halves of the ciabatta, sliced lengthways, on a baking tray and spread with the butter. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, then grill for 2-3 mins.

CIABATTA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Combine cipollini onions, vinegar, and salt in a food processor or blender; puree until nearly smooth. Set aside for 1 hour.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion, red bell pepper, and goat horn peppers in the hot oil until onion softens and begins to turn golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove onion mixture to a plate. Cook and stir coppa ham, soppressata, pork loin, and mortadella in the same skillet until warmed through and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Spread each ciabatta roll with 1 tablespoon garlic basil spread, 1 tablespoon garlic roasted tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon artichoke aioli, and 1 tablespoon cipollini onion mixture. Top with 1/4 pound mozzarella cheese. Evenly distribute the soppressata mixture among the 4 sandwiches and top with equal amounts of the bell pepper mixture.
• Arrange sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.

SOURDOUGH CIABATTA

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the water, milk, olive oil, and starter.
• Mix the yeast and salt into the flour.
• Stir 6 cups of flour into the liquid mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a dough the consistency of drop-cookie batter.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and satiny.
• The dough should be on the slack side, but not oozy; it needs to be able to hold its shape in the oven.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
• Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise, undisturbed, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently and divide it into three pieces.
• Form the loaves into torpedo shapes, and place the loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• With a serrated knife or lamé, make three slashes in the tops of the loaves, each 1/2-inch deep.
• Cover with a damp towel.
• Let the loaves rise until they look puffy.
• This should take approximately 30 minutes. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Brush or spray the loaves with water; a plant mister is good for this job.
• Bake for 10 minutes, spraying the loaves with water two more times.
• Lower the oven to 375°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

CIABATTA

Steps:

• Make biga:
• Place water in processor. Sprinkle yeast over. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup flour; process until blended. Scrape down sides of work bowl. Add 1 cup flour; repeat processing and scraping. Add remaining 1 1/3 cups flour. Process until small moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball (dough will be firm); place in large bowl. Cover; chill overnight (biga will soften, resembling thick oatmeal in texture).
• Make dough:
• Pull biga into walnut-size pieces; place in a clean large bowl. Add water, yeast and 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons semolina. Using 1 hand, squeeze ingredients together 2 minutes. Work dough 4 minutes by scooping sections from sides of bowl and pressing into center, blending into very soft, shaggy mass. Using spatula, scrape dough from sides of bowl into center. Let dough rest in bowl, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle salt over dough. Using 1 hand, knead dough by rotating bowl 1/4 turn at a time, scooping dough from sides and folding down into center until dough starts to come away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes. Scrape dough from hand and sides of bowl. Cover bowl with towel; let dough rest 20 minutes.
• Rotating bowl 1/4 turn at a time, fold dough over onto itself 6 times; turn dough over in bowl. Cover with towel and let dough rest in bowl 20 minutes.
• Bake bread:
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle work surface with additional semolina. Turn dough out onto semolina. Using pastry scraper or large knife, cut dough in half; keep halves separated. Let stand, uncovered, 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets with additional semolina. Transfer each dough half, semolina side up, to 1 sheet. Stretch each dough half to 16x4-inch rectangle. Press fingertips into dough in several places to dimple surface (characteristic of this bread). Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Double-wrap in aluminum foil to freeze.)