Mushroom Ciabatta
I haven't been baking nearly as much as I would like, but I'm making an attempt to bake on Sundays this winter. I feel like any skill I have obtained since I started making bread has been lost, and gaining my skill set back might prove frustrating. My girlfriend loves bread and I don't mind lavishing her with fresh treats. A favorite bread of mine is ciabatta, but I've never made an attempt to add any cheese or mushrooms to the base bread. I decided to use dried shiitake mushrooms reconstituted in water and baby bella mushrooms. The night before I made a poolish and let it rest in the refrigerator until Sunday. I made the main dough and let it ferment while stretching and folding every 30 minutes for 2 hours. After the initial mixing, I added a bit of olive oil to a pan along with garlic and the mushrooms, sauteing them until they were tender. I let the mushroom mix cool and added it to the bread during the next stretch, folding them into the dough. I poured the dough out on the butcher block for a final shaping and proof.
I'm not working with a couche or a peel, which can make it difficult at times. I did not have a thick enough bed of flour on the butcher block to inhibit sticking, which led to degassing one of the loaves. However, the other two turned out well, and the bread was delicious with a gorgonzola cheese spread. I'm back in the baking game and I've won impressive points with the girlfriend, win win for the weekend!! Next weekend will be my 29th birthday and might be a bye week for baking. I'll see you on the flip side.