This recipe is listed in baker's yield.  You can increase the recipe to however large you want.  I did include the measurement in grams for 4 large ciabatta. This recipe will have the charactic large holes & heavy flour top that ciabatta is known for.

This is the traditional, true artisan bread, so no mixer needed!  All you need is a large mixing bowl, pastic bow scraper, and a table cloth or cloth napki.

Liquid preferment (also called 'sponge')

67% Bread flour   480g

83% water         600 g

1% instant yeast  7 g

Final Dough

3% salt              22 g

33% bread flour  240 g

1. Mix the liquid perferment at room temperature, cover, let stand in room temperture for 1 hr 
2. Mix the final dough mixture then toss into the sponge, squeez it to fully hydrate the flour.
3. Cover & letferment in room temp for 20 minutes, then use a plastic bowl scraper, gently life the side of gooy dough and drap across the center of the dough. 
4. Repeat step 3 twice at the increasement of 20 minutes (3 folds in 60 mintues)
5. Cover, the let dough set in room temp for 30 minutes.
6. HEAVY flour on the table cloth or napkin.  Make sure you put a GOOD layer of flour onto it to provent sticking.
7. Gently guiding the dough onto the floured cloth with bowl scraper.
8. HEAVY flour on the now top of the dough.
9. Use a knife, cut the dough into quarters. Don't worry, you can't really 'cut' through the dough, this is just a guide for you to move them.
10. Coat your hands with heavy flour, then slowly & gently move the cuted quarters to the 4 quarter of the cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
11. Move your hand gently to the back of the bread and gently make them into square shaps if you can.
12. Let stand in the room temp for 20 minutes (resting)
13. Preheat your oven to 475 degree F
14. Gently invert the shaped dough onto your hand then place onto a parchment paper.
15. Bake until lightly browned.

This is the quick photo that I took before I box it up & set it out to the neighbors.

A lovely crust and crumb if I don't say so myself!

I found this recipe over on the Wildyeastblog and it's worth a try for anyone wishing for great results. http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/27/overnight-ciabatta/ I made the greatest crust and crumb of my baking days, with some trials and tribulations. Here are some pics of my bread. crust and crumb: ciabatta crust and crumbCiabatta: Looking goodBatard and ciabatta: a bastardized batard and some more ciabatta

a bastardized batard and some more ciabatta

Looking good

ciabatta crust and crumb

  I've tried 3 or 4 different recipes for ciabatta and all have basically the same ingredients, but for some reason I come up with the same result. Soft crust and a dense center. Everything goes fine during the mixing process, which comes out with this sticky dough, but my final product just doesn't come out right. Where am I going wrong? What do I have to do to get that crispy, rustic crust and center full of limitless air pockets

I've tried 3 or 4 different recipes for ciabatta and all have basically the same ingredients, but for some reason I come up with the same result. Soft crust and a dense center. Everything goes fine during the mixing process, which I come out with this sticky dough, but my final product just doesn't come out right. Where am I going wrong? What do I have to do to get that crispy, rustic crust and center full of limitless air pockets.

I was more careful at handling the dough this time.  Improved shape