There’s something really satisfying within a loaf of freshly baked bread. Everybody always mentions the smell and I have to agree, the smell is magical. The way it starts slowly creeping out of the oven while the bread still bakes and then lingers around for hours more. I just love it.

I admit, I’ve been a bit lazy when it comes to bread baking lately. But this bread was such a huge, delicious success that I know I’ll be back on track with my bread baking adventures. The only thing you really need in abundance for this recipe is resting time. But, other than that, it is such low maintenance and easy bread that really, there are no acceptable excuses for not making it.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 large ciabatta / 0.33 EUR)

For the dough:

2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (0.17 EUR)

1 tsp dry yeast (0.13 EUR)

1 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 and ½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 cup warm water (–)

Additional:

Flour for dusting (0.01 EUR)

METHOD:

In a big bowl whisk together flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add warm water and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky and really soft, but don’t worry as it’s all going to work out in the end. Cover the bowl with cling foil and allow the dough to rest for 12-18 hours in a warm and draft-free place. I like placing the bowl in a turned-off oven to let the dough do its thing.

The next day the dough should be big and bubbly with a tangy smell. Turn the dough out on a well-floured work surface. Use a dough scraper to just fold the dough over a dozen times, shape it into a ciabatta (or really, just a blob) and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Sprinkle the ciabatta with flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest for an hour.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 220°C. After an hour transfer the dough in the oven with its baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, until ciabatta is deep golden brown. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

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Ima nekog jako velikog zadovoljstva u svježe pečenoj štruci kruha. Svi kažu da je tajna u mirisu, a i ja se sa time također moram složiti. Taj miris kruha koji se polako krene širiti još iz pećnice, pa onda još ostaje lebdjeti u zraku satima nakon što je kruh gotov, jednostavno je neodoljiv.

No priznajem, u zadnje sam vrijeme bila nešto lijena kada je u pitanju pečenje kruha. Međutim, ova ciabatta bila je takav ogroman i ukusan uspjeh, da me ponukala da se ponovno vratim u režim pečenja. Jedina stvar koju ćete ovdje trebati u većim količinama je vrijeme dok čekate da se tijesto digne. Ali osim toga, ovo je tako jednostavan i nimalo zahtjevan recept, pa nemate nikakve izlike.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 veću ciabattu / 2,42 kn)

Za tijesto:

2 i ½ šalice glatkog brašna (1,25 kn)

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

1 žlica šećera (0,05 kn)

1 i ½ žličica soli (0,02 kn)

1 šalica tople vode (–)

Dodatno:

Brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte brašno, kvasac, šećer i sol. Dodajte toplu vodu i dobro promiješajte da se sve sjedini. Tijesto će biti ljepljivo i jako mekano, ali budite bez brige jer će na kraju sve ispasti okej. Posudu sa tijestom pokrijte prijanjajućom folijom i ostavite da miruje 12-18 sati na toplom mjestu bez propuha. Meni je nekako najbolje staviti tijesto u ugašenu pećnicu da tamo u miru odradi svoje.

Sljedećeg bi dana tijesto trebalo biti veliko i puno mjehurića, te imati kiselkast miris. Iskrenite tijesto na dobro pobrašnjenu radnu plohu, pa ga samo desetak puta preklopite strugalicom. Oblikujte u ciabattu (ili nešto nalik tome) i stavite na papirom za pečenje obložen protvan. Ciabattu posipajte brašnom, pokrijte čistom krpom i pustite da tako odmara jedan sat.

Dok tijesto odmara zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. Nakon jednog sata preselite ciabattu skupa sa protvanom u zagrijanu pećnicu te pecite 25-30 minuta, dok ne bude lijepe zlatno-smeđe boje. Kad je gotova, odmah ju preselite na rešetku i pustite da se tako do kraja ohladi prije nego ju krenete rezati i poslužite.