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Have you ever tried ciabatta bread? This rustic Italian bread tastes amazing when made into a sandwich--which is why I made mine in individual rolls instead of the traditional elongated loaves. I've skipped the biga, or overnight starter dough, to speed up the process, so these rolls can be on your table tonight!
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Questions
What kind of bread is ciabatta?
Ciabatta (pronounced cha-BAWT-ah) is an Italian bread invented by Francesco Favaron in 1982.
Italian bakers wanted to come up with an Italian bread to compete with the immense popularity of the French baguette. We're glad that they did! Although this bread has many regional variations throughout Italy, most versions in the United States has a thin, crisp crust and a light interior with large, irregularly sized air holes.
What goes well with ciabatta bread?
Almost any flavorful filling goes well with it, especially Italian meats and cheeses. A simple way to serve it is to tear it into smaller pieces and dip into a bowl of extra virgin olive oil with freshly cracked black pepper.
Is it good for you?
Like many breads, ciabatta is healthy when eaten in moderation. This recipe contains basic, all-natural ingredients: white bread flour, salt, yeast, olive oil, and water. One individual-sized roll is 207 calories, and contains 6.3g of protein and only 3.7g of fat. See the nutrition information at the end of this post for more details.
How to Make
This bread is actually not too hard to make; just be patient, since the dough is incredibly sticky. That's what makes the dough so light and airy, though! Start by measuring out 5 basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, yeast, and olive oil.
Mix up the dough in the stand mixer and knead for 5-8 minutes, until the dough is really stretchy and sticky--like sticking-all-over-your-fingers sticky. That's how it's supposed to be!
Pour it into a greased container, cover, and let it rise. (Tip: I recommend making this bread only with a stand mixer and not by hand. The dough needs to be extremely sticky, and adding flour during the kneading process is not recommended.)
Shape the rolls on a very generously floured cutting board and place gently on a parchment-lined tray. Prove briefly, bake, and enjoy!
Are you excited about making your very own ciabatta rolls? I hope you are--the fragrance and texture of these rolls is amazing. Your whole family will enjoy these rolls plain, with butter, or in a sandwich.
Pro Tips
- Use a stand mixer. The dough is incredibly wet and sticky, and will be difficult to work with by hand.
- Prove slowly. This ensures a good flavor in the dough. If it's rising too fast in a hot room, you can even refrigerate it.
- Is the risen dough falling? This is a sign that you should start shaping the rolls right away.
- Use lots of flour on the work surface when shaping the rolls, or it will deflate the dough and make a mess.
- Don't have semolina? Use cornmeal or grits instead.
Recommended Tools
- Bread Flour: this is my favorite brand of flour for bread recipes.
- Semolina: this gritty flour is just what you need to flour the work surface.
- Plastic Tub: this rectangular tub is perfect for proving the ciabatta.
- Bench Scraper: this is an invaluable tool for cleaning off sticky counters.
- Cookie Sheet: this sturdy tray is bakes evenly and cleans easily.
Make a Delicious Sandwich with these Fillings!
The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.
PrintRecipe
How to Make Chewy Ciabatta Rolls
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 large buns 1x
Description
These chewy homemade ciabatta rolls will make any sandwich taste amazing! It's a rustic Italian bread that’s crisp outside and soft inside, making it super tempting and ultra delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 ⅛ cups bread flour (500g)
- 2 teaspoons salt (10g)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons fast-action yeast (7g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¾ to 2 cups room-temperature water (400-450 ml)
Instructions
Making the Dough (15 min + 2 hrs proving)
- Dump the bread flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl, then stir in each one with your finger. The salt can kill or slow down the yeast's growth if it touches the yeast directly.
- Pour the olive oil and half of the water onto the flour and begin mixing with the paddle attachment on low speed. Trickle in the remaining water until the dough is extremely sticky and is about the consistency of a very thick batter. You might not need all the water.
- Knead the dough on medium speed with the paddle attachment for about 5-8 minutes, until the dough is very well mixed and can stretch at least 3-4 inches without breaking.
- Lightly grease a 10-cup square or rectangular plastic container with olive oil, then pour the dough into the container. Cover with greased plastic wrap and allow to prove at room temperature until at least doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Shaping the Buns (25 min + 20 min proving + 40 min baking)
- Preheat the oven to 415 F. Line two 11 by 17-inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Generously dust a large wooden cutting board with a thick layer of bread flour and semolina. Carefully turn the plastic container upside down and gently pour the dough onto the floured board.
- Cut the dough in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, then cut each long piece into five smaller pieces to get ten buns. Handle the dough very gently to keep as much air in the dough as possible. Flour the knife and your hands as needed, since the dough will be extremely sticky.
- Roughly shape each piece of dough into a square, then gently transfer the buns to the prepared trays. You should have 5 rolls on each tray. Don't worry if they look flat; they'll puff up as they prove and bake. Leave the buns to prove for about 20 minutes, until they have noticeably increased in size.
- Bake each tray one at a time for about 20-25 minutes each. The buns should be crisp, nicely browned, and have an internal temperature of at least 200 F.
- Let the buns cool completely on a wire rack, then serve. Store leftover buns in a zip-top bag at room temperature, or freeze for later.
Notes
- Be sure to use bread flour and not all-purpose for this recipe. You will not get the best results with AP.
- It's best to use a stand mixer to make the dough, since it's so sticky.
- The key to a good ciabatta is a slow prove. If the dough is rising too quickly, put it in a cool place or even in the refrigerator. A long prove gives the dough a much better flavor, and for ciabatta, an irregular, open crumb structure means it will have larger air holes.
- Make sure to immediately start shaping the buns if your risen dough starts to fall.
- If you don't have semolina flour in your cupboard, cornmeal or grits will work just as well for dusting the work surfaces.
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: ciabatta recipe, ciabatta rolls
This recipe was originally published on July 12, 2018.
Kat
Could I possibly add some sun-dried tomatoes and chopped olives into this mix?
Emma
Yes, that would be a lovely addition, Kat! Let me know if you try it!
Kathy
I just made these rolls for the first time. Loved how easy it was. They came out looking wonderful. Can't wait for dinner. Thanks so much for this recipe
Emma
You're very welcome, Kathy! I hope you enjoyed the ciabatta rolls.
Cheryl
I need clarification about baking the rolls. You state bake rolls one at a time. Wouldn't that cause five of the rolls to be over proofed?
Emma
The recipe states to bake one tray at a time, not each roll individually. This is because the bread doesn't cook as well if both trays are in the oven at the same time. Hope this helps, Cheryl!
CHERYL
Although I didn't state it, I meant one tray at a time. I assume these rolls should be covered while proving? Thank you.
Emma
Yes, you can cover them if you wish. Although I usually do cover breads while they are proving to prevent a tough skin from forming on the surface, I find that these ciabatta rolls prove well even without a cover. The baking time is short enough that the second tray should not be over proved. If you want to slow down the prove, you can always poke the second tray in the fridge while the first one bakes.
CHERYL
Sorry for so many questions, but should I allow them to prove again once removed from the refrigerator?
Emma
No problem, Cheryl! If the buns are springy to the touch, they're ready to bake. The rolls will continue to prove in the fridge; just at a slower pace. Always go by the spring test, not just by time or size.
Erma
Can I use active dry yeast instead in instant?
Emma
Yes, you can use active dry instead. Warm the water in the recipe a little in the microwave, add a teaspoon of sugar and the yeast, and stir to dissolve. Let the mixture stand for until frothy and foamy, about 10 minutes. Then, add the yeast mixture to your ciabatta dough.
Shannon Carpenter
I love this bread! If I want to make a parmesan crust on the outside so I just place the cheese on top of the bread towards the end of the baking or can it be added before I bake it?
★★★★★
Emma
okay...parmesan crust sounds like a dream come true!! 😍 I'd recommend putting the cheese on before baking the ciabbata rolls, then it will stick better to the bread. So glad that you like the rolls!!
Pam bay
Do you have to use salt in ciabatta bread recipe?
Emma
Yes, salt is necessary in the ciabatta rolls to add flavor and to keep the yeast from working too quickly. Happy baking!
Silvia Ruiz
Thanks! I will try to make this ciabatta rolls now.
★★★★★
Emma
I'm excited to hear that you're making the ciabatta rolls, Silvia! I hope that you enjoy them! 🙂
Kate Eaton
I made these as written for use a hamburger buns. They were both beautiful to look at and delicious.
★★★★★
Emma
Thank you so much for your kind review, Kate! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed them. 🙂
Suzanne Hoffman
I can't wait try these. I've shared the recipe with some friends who love to make bread. Your recipes are so well presented, Emma.
Emma
Thank you so much, Suzanne! Please leave a review when you make the ciabatta rolls! 🙂
Lida Sauve
I’m not a frequent baker but I made these just as described and they were excellent! I didn’t achieve square shape so mine were round but still good
★★★★★
Emma
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for making them! I'm honored that you chose these ciabatta rolls as your baking project. 🙂
Susanne Sams
When you say to stir the yeast and salt with your finger do you mean keep each one on its side of the bowl when stirring or do you mean just keep them separate when putting into bowl but stir them at the same time while combining with the flour. I should know this as I’ve made Italian bread before with this method but I’ve forgotten the correct method.
Emma
Good question, Susanne! When you stir in the salt and yeast, just keep each one on its side of the bowl so they don't touch each other. Hope this helps!
Tony
Hi. You say to lightly grease a 10-cup square or rectangular plastic container. Could you be more specific in WxLxH in inches please? Don’t understand 10 cup container--new to baking.
Regards,
Tony
Emma
Good question, Tony! I used a container that measured 6x9 inches and was 2.5 inches deep. Also, the 10-cup capacity refers to how much liquid the container can hold. Hope this helps!
Dina Dreifuerst
Fun recipe - I look forward to trying it. Just one thing: it's "proof" or "proofing" bread dough, not "prove" 🙂
★★★★★
Emma
I'm glad you're looking forward to making these ciabatta rolls! Actually, "prove" and "proof" mean exactly the same thing--they're just different terms. 😊