Vegan MoFo Day 3 - Ciabatta Bread

I think the smell of homemade bread is so comforting.  I absolutely love eating it too!  It also kind of freaks me out what can be in breads now that they can stay on the counter for weeks without going moldy and drying out and makes me wonder what chemicals are in them?   

So, I made this yummy Ciabatta Bread. 

Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients:

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 ¼ cups warm  water

½  tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

5 cups flour

Instructions:

In a large measuring cup mix the yeast, salt and sugar with the warm water.  Set aside while putting the flour in the mixing bowl.  Slowly pour in the water mixture into the mixing bowl using the paddle attachment on low speed.  This a very thin mixture (not firm at all.) 

Let mixture rest for about 15 minutes.  Then mix again for about 5 minutes at medium speed.

Switch the paddle to the dough hook and mix “knead” for another 5 minutes until the dough starts to pull cleanly off the sides of the bowl.   The dough will be very sticky but smoother. 

Grease a bowl with olive oil and pour dough into it.  Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap in a warm spot until the dough has doubled.  (about 2 hours)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and dust generously with flour.

Divide dough into two and mound each on the cookie sheet.  Dust with flour on the tops.  Cover again and allow to rise about another hour.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place baking stone in the oven to heat up.   Place an empty pan under the baking stone.

When oven is ready, slide the Ciabatta breads onto the baking stone with the parchment paper.  Add 2 cups of water into the empty pan beneath the baking stone. 

Bake 20-25 minutes until the loaves are lightly browned. 

Remove from oven and slide parchment paper with loaves onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before cutting.

A few things I’ve noticed with homemade bread:

-      - It tends to go quick!

-      - If there are any leftovers it does get hard pretty quick so once it’s completely cool it needs to be stored in an air tight container.

-     - It’s great to use the “leftovers” for stuffing.  I just break it up into pieces and freeze until I’m ready to use.