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
- Mix the liquid perferment at room temperature, cover, let stand in room temperture for 1 hr
- Mix the final dough mixture then toss into the sponge, squeez it to fully hydrate the flour.
- 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.
- Repeat step 3 twice at the increasement of 20 minutes (3 folds in 60 mintues)
- Cover, the let dough set in room temp for 30 minutes.
- HEAVY flour on the table cloth or napkin. Make sure you put a GOOD layer of flour onto it to provent sticking.
- Gently guiding the dough onto the floured cloth with bowl scraper.
- HEAVY flour on the now top of the dough.
- 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.
- 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.
- Move your hand gently to the back of the bread and gently make them into square shaps if you can.
- Let stand in the room temp for 20 minutes (resting)
- Preheat your oven to 475 degree F
- Gently invert the shaped dough onto your hand then place onto a parchment paper.
- Bake until lightly browned.
This is the quick photo that I took before I box it up & set it out to the neighbors.

I made these today - my first-ever yeasted bread that isn't pizza.
They came out very well, so thanks. Terrific, too, that you don't need the mixer; I don't really have much equipment, since I'm just starting out and am also broke, so it's great to find recipes that just need flour, yeast, water, and a cloth napkin!
I substituted a cup of whole wheat flour for a cup of white, and I like the flavor and slight graininess.
For any bread that doesn't require a LOT of handling or kneading.. you can always substitut part of the flour to wheat & still come out beautifully. Glad you like it!
For Artisan bread, you don't need a mixer. REALLY. True artisan bread is made by hand, not machine. Let me know if you want to try another bread & I might have a simple direction that you can do w/o mixer
Thanks. ANYTHING that doesn't need a mixer would be just my cup of tea. I love all kinds of French breads, and anything along those lines would be great.
I do have an old mixer, but I don't have all the attachments. I tried it for my pizza dough, and it did work - but the dough climbed up the beaters into the machine, so that's pretty limited.
But this came out really well for a first try, I think, so thanks again!
no problem. I will post a couple more no mixer method this weekend when I get around doing it. When it comes to bread, unless you have a dough hook, otherwise I won't recommand it. Also depends on what you have, you might be able to get extras from the maker or online.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. I tried it last night and the ciabattas turned out great. This technique seems almost fool-proof, now if I can just find a way to avoid getting covered with flour everytime I bake!
Scott (Phxdog)
This is one of my all time favorites and I am just glad that ppl do like it & it is easy enough for everyone. For chabatta, flour is everywhere so it is very hard to avoid it. I only wear white (chef's coat) & white apron while I make it! Besides, flour on you only shows your love for the art! Wear it proud!