No-knead Ciabatta

Yeast is hard to find right now, so I'm really leaning into long-rise no-knead recipes, because they require so little yeast. This isn't a purist, authentic ciabatta (which requires a sourdough like starter). It's a little fluffier and softer than a true ciabatta, but chewier and heartier than a French bread, with a soft-chewy crust and a fairly open crumb. This makes 2 loaves that are about 3X15 inches. 

Stir together: 4 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp yeast dissolved in 2 cups lukewarm water. Add a little extra water if necessary to get a shaggy dough with no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 12-24 hours. 

After 12 hours.

Dough is VERY sticky and soft. Almost like a batter. When you handle the dough, try and be as gentle as possible, to keep all the air bubbles that have formed. I lined a cookie sheet with parchment and sprinkled it with flour. You can also oil a pan and sprinkle with cornmeal instead. 

Now take a knife and divide the dough in half. It won't cut cleanly, that's OK. It's just to help you pull it apart into halves. Scoop out half the dough with your hands and stretch it out into a long rope/loaf like thing. Keep it fairly narrow - it will spread as it rises again. The loaf on the right is very rough formed, just a stretch, and then some nudges into a more regular shape on the pan. The loaf on the left was way too wide at first so I kind of pinched the edges together at the top, making a taller, rounder loaf. The flat one is better for sandwiches, I think, but the rounder one gives taller slices. Honestly, it doesn't really matter all that much. 

Sprinkle with flour and cover and let rise another 2 hours. 

When almost ready to bake, preheat oven to 425F. Bake for 25-30 minutes until deeply browned. Cool on a rack for at least half an hour before slicing.