No-Knead Rustic Italian CiabattaVeg

1

In a medium bowl, whisk together bread flour, instant yeast, and warm water until combined.

2

Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest in a warm place for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until it becomes very bubbly.

1

Once the sponge is bubbly, add the remaining bread flour, olive oil, salt, additional instant yeast, and warm water to the bowl.

2

Mix with a spatula until you achieve a shaggy dough where all the flour is absorbed. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

1

With wet hands, grab one end of the dough, stretch it out, and fold it over.

2

Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this process. Perform a total of eight stretches and folds.

3

Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this stretch-and-fold process (eight folds) for a total of three sets, with 30-minute rests in between each set.

1

After the final set of folds, transfer the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

2

Turn the dough to coat it with oil, cover, and place it in the refrigerator to ferment for 8 to 24 hours.

1

Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about an hour to warm up.

2

Liberally flour your work surface and dump the dough out. Gently pat and stretch it into a 6x12-inch rectangle.

3

Fold one short end over like a book, then pat and stretch again into a 6x10-inch rectangle. Pinch the seams to seal.

4

Cut the dough lengthwise to create two loaves. You can leave them as rectangular loaves or cut them into smaller pieces for sandwiches.

1

Place the loaves on a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let them rise for 2 to 2.5 hours until puffy and bubbly.

2

While rising, preheat your oven to 475°F with a pizza stone (or inverted baking sheet) on the center rack and a heat-proof skillet on the bottom rack.

3

Place the loaves into the oven on the stone. Add a cup of ice to the hot skillet on the bottom rack to create steam and close the oven door quickly.

4

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the bread reaches a deep golden color and an internal temperature of 200°F.

5

Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack before slicing.