Ciabatta Bread

Ciabatta is one of popular Italian breads. I have a couple of nice and easy ways to make this wonderful bread. Some recipes call for no knead Ciabatta bread; I did try a few of them, but the one I introduce here makes me very happy with the result. The origin for this recipe is in the book called 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood. I changed his technique a little by using my bread machine to knead the dough. I think it is much easier.

Ingredients:
4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup wheat and corn flour for dusting
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp active yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, place 2 cups of flour with 3/4 cup of warm water and the yeast. Using a hand whisk, whisk for 5 minutes. Cover and then let ferment for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, add the remaining flour, water, salt, and olive oil to the fermented flour and whisk to combine. Place all of the flour into the bread machine pan and turn on. Press the dough function to start.
When the bread machine is finished kneading, dump dough into an oily bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, dust the countertop with the wheat and corn flour. Tip the dough out onto the countertop, and then oil your hands to shape the dough by stretching it into an 8 inch length. Dust the baking sheet generously with wheat and corn flour and carefully transfer the loaf. Then sprinkle more flour on top of dough.  Cover with plastic and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425° and bake bread for 25 to 30 minutes.