Chia Seeds

We haven’t made SD ciabatta in a long time and wanted to make one that included some YW in the levain, had some semolina, rye and WWW for flavor while using mostly AP and a little bread flour for the rest of the dry.  We added some VWG to up the gluten of this dough and improve its crumb.  We also took some of our standard pizza dough ingredients; the mix of herbs, garlic and sun dried tomato and added them with some chia seeds.

 The crust came out nicely browned and crunchy and softened as it cooled.  The crumb was open, soft,glossy and moist.  The herbs, garlic and sun dried tomatoes came though but were not over powering.  The SD tang was there in the background but it was subdued due to the YW and no retarding of the dough or starters to bring out the SD flavor.  We didn’t do two separate levains this time but mixed the YW right into the SD starter from the beginning.

 This might well be the best tasting ciabatta we have ever made – just delicious!

 It looks to be some fine sandwich bread for paninis by putting the crust of the bread on the inside and grilling the inside of the bread on the outside of the sandwich. Formula and Method follow.  Here is a nice beer can chicken sandwich with lettuce and Amish Swiss, chips, berries and some salad and a chocolate sandwich cookie. 

Method

Make the YW and SD levain in 3 stages each 4 hours apart for a total of 12 hours.  The levain will triple in volume

The next morning autolayse the flour with the water for 1 hour in the mixer bowl.  Add the levain and knead with dough hook on KA 8 for 8 minutes or until the dough releases from the bowl.  Add the salt and chia seeds and knead on KA 8 for 1 more minute.  Place in a well oiled plastic covered bowl for 15 minutes.  Do 4 S & F’s every 15 minutes in the bowl.  Add the herbs garlic and sun dried tomato and do 2 more S & F’s.  Let ferment and develop in a well oiled bowl until the dough at least doubles.  This will take about 3 hours

Turn out onto a well flowered counter, shape into (2) 8”x14” rectangles with an oiled dough scraper, dimple top with fingers, spray top with oil and cover with a dusting of flour and plastic.  Let rest 60 minutes.

After 60 minutes, preheat oven for 45 minutes at 500 F regular bake with steam and stone in place.  With 2 dough scrapers, transfer ciabatta to a floured parchment paper on a peel by flipping in over at the same time.  Reshape as necessary.  Slide onto stone and steam for 6 minutes.  Remove stream, turn loaves 180 degrees and bake another 6 minutes at 450 F convection this time.  When the internal temperature reaches 205 F it is done but not finished.

Turn off oven, leave door ajar and bread on the stone for another 8 minutes to crisp the ciabatta crust.  Move to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.