No-Knead Ciabatta

Jim Lahey No-Knead Ciabatta
Adapted from Jim Lahey
Makes 2 large loaves 
 4 cups of bread flour 
 1/4 teaspoon of instant yeast or active dry yeast 
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt 
 2 cups of warm water (think warm bath water) 
 2 tablespoons olive oil 



1. The night before, mix the flour, yeast and salt. Slowly add the water as you bring the dough together with either your hand or a spatula. The dough will seem too wet, then seem too dry. It should end as a fairly shaggy and wet dough. 
2. Cover the dough with a clean cotton cloth or a piece of plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm room for 12-18 hours (I let mine rise for 16 hours) 
3. When you check the dough the next day after the allotted time has passed, it should be a bubbly wet dough. 
4. Gently slide the dough out onto a silpat lined cookie sheet floured and dusted with cormeal. Split the dough into two and shape the dough into the desired shape of Ciabatta, which is a long slipper like shape. Cover the dough and let rise another 1-2 hours. It will roughly double in size. 
5. Before the dough is done rising, preheat the oven to 425F. Put rack in middle of oven and another rack just below that one. Meanwhile put a large kettle of water to a boil. Put a shallow baking pan on rack below the middle rack. 
6. Remove towel and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough. Open the oven door and throw some ice cubes into the bottom of oven to create a steam bath. Next pour boiling water into the pan then add bread baking sheet into middle rack and quickly close the door. 
7. Cook the bread for about 35 minutes or until nicely colored, when bread is ready it will sound hollow to a gentle knock and register 201F. Let bread cook on a wire rack for one hour.