Ciabatta with Poolish

Ciabatta with Poolish

Last night I was asked to prepare something for tonight's "Apero" which is very often for the summer where we serve apperitif drinks with light finger food. Since it was Saturday night which was way too late to buy anything last minute after 8pm in France and it's the month of "Les Vacances" So if you don't have anything in your fridge, the only way to eat is at the restaurant/bar or bistro...or call a pizza.

I took a quick look at my pantry..mmm.. black olives, chips, tuna cans..and in the fridge? some colourful carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and capsicums. Fantastic!! I am set!! what is best with all these?? a good bread to go with, of course!!

I have a bread book call "Le Pain" from the library. There are a lot of recipes with Poolish..so a CIabatta with Poolish is my choice.

To make the poolish:

150 gm      Flour
150 gm      Warm water
15gm         Yeast

Method:

1. Mix together Warm water, Yeast and Flour in a tub. Cover and rest for overnight if the kitchen temperature is about 20C. Mine took only 3 hours to be ripe as the temperature in the kitchen was at 38C!!! I even halfed the amount of yeast. So it is very important to check the dough but not the clock. This is what i have learnt from many bakers. The dough would tell you if it is ready, not the clock cause temperature and amount of yeast plays a big part in bread making. 
2. When the think paste looking dough turn into very bubbly, this means the poolish is ripe and ready to be use.

For the bread:

350gm       AP flour
350gm       T110 bread flour
12gm         Salt
600gm       Iced Water

1. Mix all ingredients and the poolish together to form soft dough. Rest for 20 minutes.
2. On a lightly oiled work surface, hand knead dough for 20 minutes.
3. Then place dough back into oiled tub for the first bulk fermentation with 2 stretch and folds at every 30min interval and another stretch and fold after 45min from the second.
4. Place the covered tub in the refrigerator for 18hours.
5. The next day, take out the tub, pour the dough out on lightly flour work surface, cut into 2.
6. Preheat oven to the maximum say 240C together with your dutch oven.
7. Shape into a boule and use your dough scraper gently lift it on to a floured patchment paper.
8. Cover and let rest until it is almost double in size. Mine didn't take too long about 80mins. Do a "Finger taste" and sift little flour on top of loaves.
9. Bake in the HOT Dutch-oven with cover on for the first 5mins. Pull out and slash then re-cover and back in the oven at 200C for 15mins.
10. Take off cover and continue to bake for another 20-25mins or until to your likeness.
11. Cool on rack.

Ciabatta with Poolish

We served this with homemade black olive tapanade, some grilled zuchini and capsicums with herbs in olive oil and some tomatoes feta basil salad. No meat!! Eating healty with maximum yum factor plus great companies.

Ciabatta top with grilled vegies

Life is good with just some simple treats!!

Sharing this with friends at Yeast Spotting, BYOB and My Meatless Monday host by My Sweet and Savory