Love the site.

Thanks.

I was reading a book called “How baking works”, where the author explains that in order to have large holes one should try not to develop the gluten too much, since the idea is that small holes break apart and join together to form large holes. When gluten is well developed, then small holes never break up. What do you think about this? I´ve tried many times to make real ciabatta, but have never been able to achive success.

It is much easier to flip the bread onto another surface without degassing it than to pick it up from the bottom; this is why the bread is flipped, to maintain the fermentation gas. I don’t have a peel or a couche, so I proof on my (clean!) counter, then use a metal dough scraper to pick up the one side and place it on one hand, pick up the other side with the blade, and carry it to the stone (the thin metal means that it slides under the dough easily).

Susan, lovely bread. Have you tried to use the slap and fold method to develop the gluten on this bread? I find it works great on high-hydration doughs. The reason I ask is that I’ve found from experience that additional water incorporates into a dough quite reluctantly, the result being the “lumpy gravy” that Stephen describes. I suppose it is not too much of an issue when you have a mixer.

I’ve been looking at several different “ciabatta” recipes, and watching videos. Why does this bread always involve a flip into it’s final position for baking… I mean, what’s wrong with shaping it and keeping it the same side up? Maybe I’m missing something…