Kitchen Hack: One-Minute Bread

Tanner says on March 12th, 2010 at 11:18 am

This is great! I’ve always been interested in making my own bread, but the process seemed daunting. This quick “hack” is just the motivation I need to run home and start making my own bread.

Are there any other cooking “hack” blogs out there?

lilalia says on March 12th, 2010 at 11:55 am

Thanks. I did like it. I love ciabatta bread and had no idea it would be so easy to make. This type of post does seem to be very different than what you usually make, so I don’t know if I am going to be the only one who says, hell yes, go ahead.

adam says on March 12th, 2010 at 11:57 am

I am going to try it right now and I will report back. I’m adding sugar to speed the rising process.

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:08 pm

@Lilalia – What a cool name! I think having a mix is good. Sometimes it’s fun to sink your teeth into something other than a conversation. =) I’m glad you approve!

@Adam – If you put it in a warm spot and add sugar it should rise nicely. 1-2hrs at most. Adding a bit of gluten if you’ve got some handy helps, too. The most expensive ingredient, for most, is going to be the yeast and there’s not much of that so it’s a cheap thing to play around with. If the dough is too wet you’ll have a very flat loaf but it’ll still taste great. Let me know how it goes!

Self Improvement Explained says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:24 pm

Man… that was interesting. I’m working right now but I think u’ve inspired me to take action. Got family coming over for dinner tonight. I’ll keep u posted…

-Rishi

David says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:34 pm

You mention adding herbs to the top before you bake it. What about before it rises? Using a little garlic and rosemary sound good to me, but I don’t now how much, or if it would affect this slow rising dough. Your thoughts?

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:35 pm

@Rishi – you should know better than to try new recipes when you’re going to have company over! =)

That said, nothing smells quite so good as freshly baked bread. I like this ciabatta because it fits into my schedule and it doesn’t die if I forget about it for an hour or so like normal bread. If you’ve only got 2hrs total, double the yeast, add some sugar to the water, and use just a little less water. Let me know how it goes!

Covertghost says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:41 pm

How much sugar would you recommend adding?

A TSP?

Bob Taylor says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:41 pm

Looks like my kinda recipe. I tried a similar “no knead” recipe with an 18 hour rest, and it turned out great. I’ll try this one over the weekend.

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:48 pm

@David – If you want spices, garlic, etc IN the bread, I’d recommend waiting until it’s risen and folding the spices into the dough right before you bake it. Some chopped olives might be good, too. If you’re into that.

@Covertghost – I use about a teaspoon. Yeast loves the stuff.

@Bob Taylor – Most bread recipes look similar, not much variation on the whole flour+water+yeast+salt thing. =) Did you use less yeast with the 18hr rest? I haven’t noticed any benefits to waiting more than 8 hours. Do you bake yours with a pan of water in the oven or perhaps use a preheated dutch oven? The method of baking and rest seem to effect the way the bread crumbs but not the taste. Interesting stuff!

Buy HGH says on March 12th, 2010 at 12:58 pm

A great and simple recipe. thanks for posting.

Laura

TJ Dietderich says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

MOS DEF trying this over the weekend. I made beer bread once and it was just too heavy. Hopefully this will inspire me to be unafraid of baking!

Hikari says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:28 pm

Thanks, I’ve never thought that ciabatta could be baked so easily. Also, great writing style. I wish I have a whole cookbook written up like that :).

Dave Kaiser says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:34 pm

MORE MORE MORE!

I like quick recipes that produce good results! I am not Martha Stewart willing to spend hours in the kitchen on one meal, it’s just not a priority, but I want good chow fast! Keep it coming!

Dave

CurtisCooley says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:37 pm

I like this recipe, but as well as trying to get more fresh made bread into my diet, I’m trying to get more whole grain bread as well. Any thoughts on using whole wheat flour?

huh says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:37 pm

Title is misleading…how is this a one minute bread? It takes a minute or more to put the ingredients together, and then you have to wait 8 hrs???

You’re much better off just using a bread machine and using the dough setting, letting the bread rise, and then baking it in the oven. Much easier!

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 1:51 pm

@Curtis – Whole wheat flour should be fine. You might want to add a bit of extra yeast though because the heavier flour doesn’t like to rise as much. If you’re hoping to get more fiber, etc into your diet via bread, consider adding some ground flax seed. A few teaspoons will do the trick and you may find that your bread rises more like a popover than usual. (flax has a similar effect as eggs in baked goods)

@Huh – “Fresh Bread Ready-To-Eat In 60 Seconds” would have been misleading for sure. In this case, there was no promise of a final product within a specific time. “Instant Oatmeal” is a solid contestant for the prize, if you’re giving one out.

The consistency of the bread your machine makes will be pretty normal compared to the airy texture of ciabatta so not an apples-to-apples comparison. Probably tastes great though!

huh mark 2 says on March 12th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

I agree with huh. V misleading title…

m says on March 12th, 2010 at 2:40 pm

where is the printer friendly link??

Noel says on March 12th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

@Curtis

There is a similar recipe for mostly whole wheat bread that give wonderful results, but the effort is a little more. You can find it at:
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1087

Veshta says on March 12th, 2010 at 2:59 pm

If you are going to make this every day or several times a week, look into using a sour dough base rather than regular yeast.
Huge flavour increase and once the sour dough is up and running doesn’t add to preperation time.

mirolator says on March 12th, 2010 at 3:53 pm

Awesome recipe, will mix tonight and bake in the morning!

Question, do you think this same recipe would work for making Ciabata Rolls? Adjust baking time?

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 4:05 pm

@M – Your browser should have an option to print text only. HTH!

@Veshta – Agreed. I don’t make it often enough to make sponge maintenance worthwhile though.

@Mirolator – Absolutely yes. Shape the dough into whatever size you like and bake away! Same temperature but it shouldn’t take nearly as much time as the loaf. You could also make a slightly dryer dough and give the rolls a little time to rise after shaping before you put them into the oven. Nothing wrong with a bit of experimentation! =)

adam says on March 12th, 2010 at 4:19 pm

@Seth – I tried it with whole-wheat flour and it throws the water ratio way off (ww flour sucks up water like nobody’s business). I added more water (turns out, too much) and then more flour to try and balance it and everything kind of went pear-shaped. I let it rise for about 3 hours (which unfortunately didn’t seem to do much) and then decided to just go for it and toss it in the oven. I dusted it with a bunch of different herbs and spices (whatever was handy, really).

The result is a big, flat mass of fairly heavy bread-like substance. It’s not exactly ‘bad’ as such, but neither is it really ‘good’. That said, I seem to keep on eating it. I will dub this “Bread/Zero” because the result is indeterminate.

mike says on March 12th, 2010 at 4:54 pm

i’ve done some traditional bread baking before, but not any no-knead stuff like this before. what should the ambient temp while it rises? it’s still pretty cold where I live, and I’m not too keen on keeping my house toasty while I’m at work just so some dough can rise.

iljk; says on March 12th, 2010 at 5:44 pm

this is mor elike the 13 hour bread

sugar says on March 12th, 2010 at 5:46 pm

I tried the 2 hr with sugar method and the recipes tastes great looks and holds shape well. The only con is that this method didn’t get the nice crannies I was hopeing for.. but will give it another go tonight for the full 12 hrs wait.

hanmeng says on March 12th, 2010 at 6:00 pm

To make it rise faster in cool temperatures, turn your electric oven on briefly until it’s about 170 F at most, then shut it off and leave the dough inside. If you’ve got a gas oven with a pilot light, just that should be warm enough.

Rob says on March 12th, 2010 at 6:02 pm

I think we actually have some bread flour in the house. What’s the difference between that and all-purpose flour? I really want to try this recipe. :-) Should I use the all-purpose or bread flour? Thanks for the great article.

Seth Simonds says on March 12th, 2010 at 6:33 pm

@Adam – Whole wheat is going to result in a heavier bread to start with so perhaps the short schedule doesn’t work as well? I’m going from my bread-baking experience in general on this as I’ve not made whole wheat ciabatta before.

You might consider going with a drier dough, using a bit more yeast, and giving it a slightly longer rest. At minimum, I’d use more yeast. The first batch I ever made flattened out into a big pool on the cookie sheet. It tasted okay but it wasn’t anything to sing about. A few more tries and I had it down perfectly. Also, a bit of Vitamin C powder or gluten added will make the yeast perk up nicely. Let me know how Bread One turns out! =)

@Mike – Hanmeng has the right idea.

@Rob – Bread flour is a high-gluten flour that typically has a leavening agent like Vitamin C added to help the yeast work. Bread flour would be perfect for this recipe!

Alison Moore Smith says on March 12th, 2010 at 7:04 pm

Funny, I’m no baker, but yesterday for dinner we had a homemade, whole wheat sourdough loaf I made with one of my daughters. Rather than yeast, we used a scratch sourdough starter made with grapes. I added soaked sesame seeds. Everyone loved it.

joyful says on March 12th, 2010 at 7:19 pm

Impressive! I’ll give it a try.

wicca says on March 12th, 2010 at 9:24 pm

I’ve been making a lot of brioche lately. Not too complex, but sweeter and eggier. This ciabatta sounds like a great foil. Well, I mean opposite. Not tinny… umm, ya. Well anyway.

Trece says on March 12th, 2010 at 9:49 pm

I’ve been hoping to find a ciabatta recipe; this looks great!!

Armen Shirvanian says on March 12th, 2010 at 10:45 pm

Hi Seth.

Making bread is something many of us here have wanted to do, so this is a cool article to work off of. I used to buy pre-made ciabatta bread from the store to eat. Making it would be a worthwhile experience, and then I wouldn’t forget.

Bread is healthy too.

Dooly the Poolboy says on March 12th, 2010 at 11:58 pm

I’m making this right now! Looks delicious! :D

Seth Simonds says on March 13th, 2010 at 12:02 am

@Alison – Sounds delicious!

@Wicca – I hear you. =)

@Armen – Indeed! Making it yourself, even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time, is always more fun than tossing a frozen loaf from the store into the oven for a few minutes. Enjoy!

ben says on March 13th, 2010 at 3:08 am

The purpose of the long rise is to develop flavor, so rising faster may be nice for convenience’s sake but you’ll end up with a more traditional tasting ciabatta if you let it rise for 8 hours or more. My recipe for ciabatta involveas making a sponge with a cup of milk, 1tsp yeast, a little salt and sugar, and a cup of flour and then letting it sit for 8 or more hours to get the sour flavor, then adding another cup to cup and a half of flour and baking.

Thomas says on March 13th, 2010 at 3:11 am

Yes please, MORE recipes like that ! They’re fun, easy, and tasty (if you make them right) !

I found your ciabatta recipe yesterday at work, made it last night and put it in the oven this morning – here are the pictures ! It looks gorgeous :) Thanks again !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/t.....609833842/

Heather says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:22 am

My oven has a nifty “30°” setting perfect for things like rising dough. Is that likely to put me closer to the 8 hour mark or potentially even less?

Joey Rafferty says on March 13th, 2010 at 5:27 am

Wow. Thats a great set of tips, thanks alot for that. Will have to try this next time when the family comes next round for dinner!

Thank you.

Joey Rafferty
Raidhosting.net – Website Hosting,less the hassle.

Toon says on March 13th, 2010 at 6:00 am

Took me some time to translate the measures to the metric system, so I’ll share the results of my search:

500 grams of all-purpose flour
4,7 deciliter of warm water
4 grams of salt (= 1 teaspoon = 5 ml)
1 gram of dry yeast (= 1/4 teaspoon = 1,25 ml)

Julie says on March 13th, 2010 at 11:53 am

I’m not experienced enough to know if this would work, but with regard to whole wheat flour I’ve seen plenty of quickbread recipes (muffins etc) that say you can substitute half the flour with whole wheat. Dunno if that would work here.

Can’t wait to try this though. My olive oil bottle is quivering with excitement ;)

Eric says on March 13th, 2010 at 12:20 pm

If I’m not mistaken, when you substitute flours, you have to do it by weight, not by measurement. So you would weigh the 4 cups of flour and then substitute that amount of wheat flour by weight.

J says on March 13th, 2010 at 12:50 pm

I actually bake a lot of bread, and I was so excited to see this article and try the recipe! So before I went to bed last night, I threw it together. So easy! Only thing is I only use whole wheat white flour and that is all that is in my pantry. This flour is a cross between whole wheat and white, so it has a slightly different taste and texture than the two. This morning, approx 10 hrs later, I punched the dough down and poured onto a stone and baked. 25 min was a perfect bake time, and the bread turned out super! Thank you so much for this great recipe. This makes it so easy to throw this together each night and have fresh, wholesome bread each day! (I took a photo and will submit it if I can figure out how to do it, lol)

Joe says on March 13th, 2010 at 12:51 pm

Made it today, loved it, and impressed my wife!

Zach says on March 13th, 2010 at 1:35 pm

I’m in the oven right now with this. I used 100% organic whole wheat (germ & bran included). I think the girlfriend will be impressed :) If it goes well, I’d love to try adding honey, nuts, and other things to the bread!

Uncle J says on March 13th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Hello,

I tried it last night and it worked pretty well.

But – maybe a little bit dense – I can’t send a picture because I ate it all.

Anything I can do to get it a little less dense? Or, is that the way ciabatta bread is>

I used all purpose flour and new yeast.

I did let it rise for only 8 hours – I let it rise overnight and then got up early to cook it. It looked like it doubled in volume – rose up and stuck all over the towel that covered the bowl.

Thanks for the recipe!

fil says on March 13th, 2010 at 2:07 pm

this is delightful. I can’t wait to make bread. this makes it much easier than it normally seems :3

Seth Simonds says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:09 pm

@Ben – You’re not going to get much of a flavor difference by letting it sit a few hours with this technique. It’ll still taste like slightly eggy yeast bread. If you wanted something stronger, like a sourdough, you could use a starter or add a bit of vinegar to the mix!

@Thomas – Looks amazing! I shared your photos with our Twitter followers as well!

@Heather – As soon as it doubles, you’re good to go. Will probably take far less time in a warm environment.

@Eric – You’ve got me on that one. I’d say go with 4 cups of wheat flour and, at worst, you’ll need to add a few tbsp of water.

@J – You’re one of those dough-punchers, eh? Glad it turned out great!

@Joe – See, that’s the best kind of hack! =)

@Zach – I think she will be! If you start adding heavy stuff to the dough, you’ll probably want to add a bit of gluten or make sure you’re using a high-gluten flour with a dough conditioner to make sure it still rises well.

@Uncle J – Ciabatta can be dense… if it was too dense because it flattened out too much when you poured the batter on the pan, then your dough was probably too wet. Add some flour. If you were able to easily shape a loaf but it didn’t rise much, perhaps you added too much flour. Experiment. You can eat the stuff, as you’ve found. =)

@Fil – It is, right? Eating it still takes work though. =)

JD says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:17 pm

Making this right now! The last few times I’ve tried to make bread, it’s failed miserably, so I’m really hoping this works!

Kvelen says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:27 pm

Hah! Splendid! Thanks you!

Having had some extra live yeast after baking & making ginger ale, this recipe seemed like a good idea – so I felt like breaking some more rules and just poured the dough (after approx. 11hrs) into a non-sticky pan normally used for lasagna or meat. Choosing the right, not too large size will a) make your Ciabatta rise higher and b) give it a very nice rectangular form, which makes it look much less spontaneous and easier to cut into same-size portions. Thanks a lot, this will easily become a staple in our household. Can’t help it, it’s just too easy, too tempting, too inviting to modify depending on what else happens to be lying around, ready to be turned into various Ciabatta Deluxe! Think onions, olives, bacon, dried tomatoes, marinated veggies etc…

VERY easy, VERY convenient, VERY inspiring!

Jo says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:40 pm

I tried this last night/this morning. Turned out pretty well, thought I thought that it was a bit bland and needed more salt and herbs. I’d probably tweak it to use 2 tsp or maybe even 1 Tbsp of salt. I sprinkled dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano on the top of my loaf. Wonder if it would taste better if I mixed them into the dough.

Shoki says on March 13th, 2010 at 4:53 pm

Came out quite well. I think I will weigh my flour next time. think I might pour 1″ layers into loaf pans or maybe spread it evenly on a pizza pan.

Matt says on March 13th, 2010 at 5:06 pm

@Curtis, Seth: Note that using whole wheat flour will also require significantly more water than the recipe above suggests; in my experiment yesterday I used an extra cup, but even then it could have used a bit more.

enrolled agent says on March 13th, 2010 at 5:58 pm

Great post! This is very easy to bake, the ingredients are not hard to find. And based on the pictures, it looks quite tasty!

I’d definitely try this one. Perhaps add some personal ingredients to better suit my tastes. :)

serendipitous says on March 13th, 2010 at 6:20 pm

Just found this blog and love this post! I am totally going to try this tomorrow. Thanks!

One of Many says on March 13th, 2010 at 6:30 pm

Just made this. It’s still cooling. Came out a lot wider than I expected… Smells great!

Bob says on March 13th, 2010 at 7:44 pm

How does this make sense? 1 minute bread. But you have to let it sit for 8 – 12 hours.

Barb says on March 13th, 2010 at 8:09 pm

Ha ha I was just thinking the same thing, Bob!

S-Picnic-Ideas says on March 13th, 2010 at 8:27 pm

Loved it!!!
Going to make it for my next picnic.
The Bread looks wonderful by the way.

Seth Simonds says on March 13th, 2010 at 8:29 pm

@JD – I hope so, too!

@Kvelen – I’m glad to inspire. Sounds like you’re going to be enjoying some pretty awesome ciabatta in the coming days!

@Jo – If you need to add extra salt, consider doing it right before baking or even sprinkling some rock salt on top. Folding the herbs into the dough should work just fine!

@Shoki – I’m glad! I use a large pan so it rises as it likes. Another reader used a square pan to give it a precise shape and make it taller. Might want to try that, too?

@Matt – if that’s the case, you might consider adding more yeast as well. Is it possible that you’re packing the flour into the measuring cup? That’ll skew measurements up dramatically.

@EA – Special ingredients? Like special brownies? Or you meant a different sort of herb? =P

@Serendipitous – You got it! Glad to have you.

@OOM – Eat up! If you use a bit less water to make a stiffer dough it won’t settle out quite as much.

@Bob, Barb – One minute = prep time. It’s widely understood that one can do other things while the bread is rising, hence the title referring only to the exact prep time. It’ll take more than a minute for you to eat the loaf at the end anyhow. =)

David says on March 13th, 2010 at 9:22 pm

Excellent recipe! Just pulled it out of the oven and it’s awesome. Looks good, smells good and tastes om nom nom. I topped mine with sea salt, parmesan and a shredded four cheese mix. Big props from the wife, who had originally thought I tried to (food) poison her last Valentine’s Day.

Erica says on March 13th, 2010 at 9:45 pm

Fantastic recipe. I’m going to evangelise about this one. So easy, so delicious, completely achievable, even in a toddler household! No photos, sorry, we ate it all. NOM NOM NOM.

Carl says on March 13th, 2010 at 11:07 pm

I don’t see how this is any easier than no kneed bread, which I make just about every other day.

It seems to me exactly the same as his recipe but with double yeast added to the water instead of mixed with the flour so as to cut down on rising time.

Also, not baked in a pod creating the over in an oven which is what makes his perfectly crackly crust.

I’m sure it’d good bread, but not much more of a hack than Jim Lehey’s no kneed bread.

Seth Simonds says on March 13th, 2010 at 11:48 pm

@David – Didn’t anybody ever tell you it’s rude to hold back on very interesting stories? I’d like to hear about what you made that caused your wife to fear for her life! =)

@Erica – Take photos of the next one! =)

@Carl – Most of the other no-knead breads, as I said at the start, have too many steps. They make you go through multiple rise, shape, and rise sessions and generally take the joy out of the process. Sure, you get a really nice crust by controlling humidity with a dutch oven, but you can get something close with a pan of water in a normal oven. One thing you won’t get with this recipe is the smaller, more regular crumb that you’ll get with a recipe like the one Lehey uses. This is a quick stir-rise-pour-bake-eat method that is truly very quick. I hope you’ll try both and let me know how they work out for you!

adi says on March 14th, 2010 at 1:55 am

mixed the things in the bowl, will update in 10 hours (after work) I usually bake “foccaca”- relative to that this seems very easy and unexpensive, so I really hope it works out.

Dakota O'Neill says on March 14th, 2010 at 2:14 am

It says 1 minute bread but you have to leave it for 8 – 10 hours :( Not cool. A much better recipe.

1 cup warm water
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil

Mix together let sit for a few minutes

Add 2 cups flour
1 tsb salt

Stir into a ball. Kneed for 10-15 minutes, form into a ball and press down if it rises read next part, if not keep kneeding.

Let sit under a towel / blanket for 15 minutes. Make into desired shape / size. Cook at 350c for 15-20 minutes. Amazing bread. Hope you enjoy.

Dakota O’Neill

papa_vova says on March 14th, 2010 at 3:58 am

You might want to check out http://papa-vova.livejournal.com/207423.html

Though I b0rked it in the end, the parts that were well done were tasty. Gonna give it a second shot this evening.

Thanks!

Rachel Coleman Finch says on March 14th, 2010 at 5:44 am

Thank you for posting this. I tried it out last night with my 3-year-old doing most of the work (so it took more like 5 minutes). We left it rising overnight and cooked it this morning for breakfast. Delicious and a great addition to our collection of “cooking-together” recipes.

Recipe note: I wasn’t sure what you meant by all-purpose flour, so we used 2 cups plain white flour and 2 cups white bread flour.

Have a photo of my son hard at work on step 3:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmc28/4431737004/

Shawn says on March 14th, 2010 at 5:59 am

Just made this today. First time I’ve ever baked anything, I occasionally make pasta but I’ve been known to burn spaghetti black. :)

This is absolutely delicious and insanely simple. My result didn’t look perfect – a little hole in the side, actually! – but it tasted awesome.

One word of caution for the absolute non-bakers here: I bought bread machine / ‘RapidRise’ yeast since it was the only non-packet yeast the local WM had, and it DOES rise much faster. Mine was ready in about 6 hours, and turned out a bit larger than I expected.

Still, it’s crazy delicious, and I’m already thinking about how I can modify it. It’s exactly the kind of simple, no risk recipe I needed to get into it.

Becky says on March 14th, 2010 at 8:00 am

This is looks like a terrific recipe, but it’s more involved than the artisan bread you knock as having “too many steps.” I don’t know what recipe you’re using for that, but mine has me dump four ingredients in a bowl, mix, rise 3-4 hrs and either cook part or put the whole thing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (it never lasts that long). Here’s a link to a good, easy recipe: http://www.anoregoncottage.com.....bread.html

tim says on March 14th, 2010 at 9:47 am

quick question..

to increase extra flavor.. could we say use half the dough to make the bread then make another batch and throw the other half of the other dough in?

t

Gentil says on March 14th, 2010 at 10:05 am

Tried this one, followed the recipe. It turned out just like you said it would.Just like it is in the pictures! Thanks a million! Making this bread was a piece of cake! :)

MamaB says on March 14th, 2010 at 10:11 am

Making this right now. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. I added some sugar, since it’s 10am and I want it ready for supper at 5pm. Will report back on how it turned out.

TeamScottSmith says on March 14th, 2010 at 11:51 am

I made this yesterday. With running around the kitchen, finding ingredients and a measuring cup, it took me almost two minutes to prep this bread! Even with those horrible extra 50 seconds, I would make this again. It was so easy, and tasted great! We ate several pieces of it with butter, and then used the remaining half-loaf to make a big sandwich. Delicious.

Liz says on March 14th, 2010 at 12:11 pm

What a great hack! I’ve been wanting to try it all week ever since I spotted it on LifeHaker and I’ve set aside time for it today. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as things develope!

parka says on March 14th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

made it, loved it.
took photo.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/4003/leba.jpg
easy.

Marc says on March 14th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

I made this yesterday/today. I let it rise for about 20 hours, then turned it out and let it go another half hour or so while the oven preheated. I added an egg-wash for color and herbs de provence. I think next time I will put a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt since it was a bit lacking in flavor. These no-knead recipes are really getting me interested in bread. Who knows, what’s next? Pizza crust? Sourdough? I have a stand mixer. I think I can knead by hand too

shraddha says on March 14th, 2010 at 12:53 pm

you make the process seem so easy.
It happens to be my favorite bread too.

Joe C says on March 14th, 2010 at 4:02 pm

I just tried this, came out pretty good. Definitely very fast and easy, one minute prep 8 hours of waiting and 20 minutes in the oven. I sprinkled some dried herbs and stuff on top of it halfway thru (I had to sprinkle some water on it to make sure they stick). Check out my photo of it:
http://accidentalcliche.blogsp.....inner.html

ingenuee says on March 14th, 2010 at 4:58 pm

I found this recipe this morning, ran to the store to get some yeast and went through with breadmaking soon after. I’ve never made bread before so I was a little worried, but 6 hours later (I added sugar) I’m very happy. Will definitely make this again and again :)

Seth Simonds says on March 14th, 2010 at 6:08 pm

Hey all, I’m really glad you’re enjoying the recipe!

@Tim – If you’re looking for more of the sourdough flavor, I’d recommend going with a starter “sponge” and using that to make the bread. Alternately, you could fold in some spices and a splash of vinegar. That’ll add some flavor and zip to make your bread seem more like sourdough. Best of luck!

MamaB says on March 14th, 2010 at 7:47 pm

Made it. With a little sugar it doubled in about 4 hours. I should have left it in the oven another 5-10 minutes, but it was really great. My 5 year old “gobbled it up” as he said. And my inlwas ate quite a bit of it too. Thanks for sharing! Going to Tweet the link to this recipe right now.

Rogue says on March 15th, 2010 at 12:18 am

Made this today and sadly over cooked it because I was in another room and didn’t hear my husband yell at me when it was done. It still tasted fantastic…..just had a hard crust. We had some people over and one of them said he really liked the hard crust. Will make again shortly and try not to over cook.

Bjoern says on March 15th, 2010 at 1:27 am

Absolutely amazing. Followed the recipe exactly. To one side I added some olive oil spread over the top and some dried basil leaves. The other side I left plain.
Mix some olive oil, salt, grated parmesan cheese, and dried basil leaves and dip the bread in that. :) love it

adi says on March 15th, 2010 at 1:27 am

That was great- my boy friend ate the loaf while watching TV last night, I will link you all around Israel now… (you should only translate the Farenheits to Celsius- well, offer it maybe in bracctets, for Europeans who appreciate you ;-)

Meron says on March 15th, 2010 at 8:21 am

Great idea! Can’t wait to try it out, keep ‘em coming – many thanks!

un tipo feliz says on March 15th, 2010 at 3:02 pm

I´ve mine in the oven, sprinkled with oregan and random spaguetti spices I had on my cupboard. In the past I made three baguettes in a similar way to this ciabatta; just had to knead and work on it a little bit more than in this awesome 1-min recipe.

Sadly, I´ve a cold and can´t taste anything at all, so I´ll just enjoy the texture on this one…

KC says on March 15th, 2010 at 4:35 pm

Stumbled on this article. Saw this simplicity. Made the bread the second I read it. Eating it now. Tastes horribly epic. Point in case.

amymac says on March 15th, 2010 at 7:15 pm

This seems too good to be true! I’m anxious to give it a try – my friends and family would be amazed if I started serving fresh baked bread! ~amy

ComplexedOne says on March 15th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

Nice!

The only change that I would make is to simply use and instant yeast that doesn’t have to go into the water. The stuff works just fine, and will last up to 2 years in an airtight bag stored in the freezer. Buy in bulk!

Steve Poole says on March 15th, 2010 at 11:25 pm

Very nice, Seth! Excellent results from a super quick recipe.

http://cookingroastingbrewing......bread.html

JJ says on March 16th, 2010 at 6:55 am

Just made this for the first time. Made the dough last night and let it rise for 12 hours. Easily doubled, but this morning revealed some pockets of flour. Floured a nonstick pan, scratched the dough out on to it, tore out a hard area with unincorporated flour, formed it into a loaf-like shape, light dusting of oregano, baked for half an hour at 400°.

Bread came out with a tough crust but a soft and moist middle. Final product has no noticeable yeasty scent compared to the rising dough, nose may just be scent-deaf however.

Overall, great recipe for a first bread, just take care to NOT pack the flour when scooping it out, or if you do, be sure to not use as much (flour should be measured by mass, not by volume.). Talking to my ma about the process, she warned me only after that you should always err with less flour, not more. You’d think that would be a prime note, eh?

Seth Simonds says on March 16th, 2010 at 10:04 am

@JJ – If you had pockets of flour you definitely used too much. The only thing you’ll ever want to pack into a measuring cup is shortening or butter. Brown sugar gets a light pat. I’m sorry I failed to mention that. It entirely slipped my mind!

I hope your next batch turns out perfect! If you want the bread to taste more like sourdough, add a splash of vinegar. There isn’t a lot of yeast in this bread so it’s unlikely that you’ll ever find it to be especially yeasty after baking.

Sue says on March 16th, 2010 at 3:26 pm

This was incredibly easy, and delicious! I’ll be making it often, probably with different kinds of flour, and maybe herbs and/or cheese on top. Thanks for the simple recipe.

Paul says on March 17th, 2010 at 12:51 pm

I will try it for sure – I love fresh bread and this seems like it’s super easy to make…

Sarah says on March 17th, 2010 at 1:09 pm

Can you substitute whole wheat flour for white flour or will it screw up the recipe??

I made it last night and it was great, I plan on making a batch every night and letting rise overnight so I can bake a fresh loaf every morning.

Seth Simonds says on March 17th, 2010 at 6:15 pm

@Sarah – Yes. It probably won’t take quite as much flour to get a sticky dough though. Stir in the 3 cups and only add enough of cup #4 to get the right consistency.

Tanya says on March 17th, 2010 at 8:09 pm

I found this recipe with Stumbleupon, and made this with dinner tonight and it was so good. Thanks! First time that I ever made bread and a major success!!

Sarah says on March 17th, 2010 at 9:17 pm

I’ve made this twice already! It is easy and delicious, and it also still is moist after several days. It’s my new favorite everyday bread. Thanks for the recipe.

darlene says on March 18th, 2010 at 12:36 am

I sped up the time by placing the mixed ingredients in a bowl with a heating pad below on low and then placed into a larger bowl – it doubled in about 2 hours..i’ve done this several times now with great success – I’ve also mixed shredded cheese in with cheese on top – too yummy to make if you’re home alone!

Tegan says on March 18th, 2010 at 5:51 pm

I pre-heated the oven, with a cast-iron skillet in it, to 500. While the oven was pre-heating, I put the dough in a temporary skillet on parchment paper that I’d sprayed with oil — the skillets served to give it a round shape and kept it from spreading thin and flat; the parchment paper made a sling so it was easy to move the dough to the pre-heated skillet when the oven was hot. I dropped the temperature to 400 when I moved parchment-sling of dough in. Very happy with this recipe, although I’ll add a little more salt next time.

Malle Babbe says on March 19th, 2010 at 9:47 am

Just got this out of the oven. I halved the recipe and not only got good results, this recipe also works at high altitudes (7,000 feet) w/o any adjustments.

Alastair says on March 19th, 2010 at 2:57 pm

Trying this tonight, mixed it together when waiting for the dinner to cook.
Can’t wait until tomorrow morning to bang it in the oven.

Igor says on March 20th, 2010 at 2:51 am

Hi there. Tried the recipe with awesome results! I was wondering what are the consequences of letting the dough rest for over 12 hours? I just don’t want to have to prepare this recipe every night to let it rise overnight and bake it in the morning. Would I be able to prepare it in the morning and bake it the next morning?

Thank you.

Seth Simonds says on March 20th, 2010 at 3:04 am

@Igor – I’ve never tried letting it rest for 24 hours. That long of a rest sounds more like something you’d do with a sourdough. Perhaps you should look into picking up some starter and experimenting with that as well? Either way, give it a try with the 24hr rest and see what happens. If it doesn’t work out, you’ve lost a bit of flour. No biggie. =)

Guillaume Camus says on March 20th, 2010 at 2:46 pm

For me the second time around I changed the recipe a bit.
I added 2 tbls of olive oil for flavor and extra texture. also I make mine in a kitchen aid mixer, I like to break the glutton further, it OK since it going to rest overnight and wont be worked again like most breads are. You have to watch out for the right consistency, Flour is heavier or lighter depending the amount of humidity in the air, so you really have to learn to develop an eye for the right consistency. for me it right when the dough is still a bit sticky, but bouncy at the same time.
I bake for about 25 minutes, and about half way through spray a bit of water on the bread which will make a nice crusty brown bread.

Happy baking!

JJ says on March 20th, 2010 at 5:27 pm

Made bread based on this recipe 4 more times this week. Getting fat maybe ;)?

I’m working on a variant:
Add some oil to the flour and some sugar to the yeast water, and increase the amount of yeast and salt, and you get a very passable pizza dough, but one that won’t brown on its own. I’m thinking maybe increasing the oil or brushing with butter would get the color I want: the dough still comes out pasty, not the golden brown of a NYC pizza crust I’m used to. Any ideas?

Again, great recipe, Seth. The sandwich I made from the first bread (even with its flaws) was bragged about when I showed my friends, and I even got demands for the recipe.

Thanks, too for adding that note about packing flour – I imagine you get a lot of engineers at this site, and stuff like that definitely needs to be spelled out for people like us :).

“Nothing is more old-school than baking your own damn staff of life! A dude who can walk into any kitchen in the world and make bread is COMPLETELY RAW” -Ray, Achewood, 9 Jun 06

Katherine says on March 20th, 2010 at 6:01 pm

I’m making this for the second time. The first time I stuck with the simple recipe exactly and the bread was SO yummy that I ate almost the whole loaf myself within a day and a half!!! Now I added a 1/4 tsp of sugar to speed up the process and 1 cup whole grain flour, 3 cups all purpose. I am afraid of gaining 20 lbs from getting addicted to this stuff!!

C.W.Holeman III says on March 20th, 2010 at 9:46 pm

Three comments:

1: Great recipe. Simple, fast and tasty.

2: If you place it in the pan directly after mixing and let it rise there instead of in the bowl, it will keep it’s form better and not sink as much.

3: You can cut the rising time in half (to four hours or so) by placing it in the oven and keeping it at a very low temperature.

Jane says on March 21st, 2010 at 4:28 am

Well, I’ll be darned–this worked out well! I thought I had too much flour as my dough looked drier, but it came out nicely. Being an impatient sort, I tossed in a teaspoon of sugar for the yeast, but ended up letting it sit for 10 hours (an unexpected nap delayed things) and sprinkled Italian herbs on the top. I would up the salt content just a tad the next time I make it. But there will be a next time! Thanks for posting this and inspiring so many people to try it.

A+ for ease!

Tegan says on March 21st, 2010 at 11:41 am

Just made my third batch. 1 cup of flour should weigh 5 ounces; I used 7 oz whole wheat and 13 oz unbleached white. Added just a squirt (maybe 2 t?) of honey to the warm water and yeast. I replaced 2T of water with cider vinegar. I mixed garlic powder, onion powder and crushed dried rosemary into the batter, along with the salt right at the start. When I mixed in the flour, I found it needed a little extra water — I just kept adding splashes until I got the right consistency. Even after starting the oven at 500 degrees (and knocking it down to 400 when transferring the bread in), I found it needed an extra 10 minutes baking time to get color all over — that may just be my oven. Super happy with this whole approach. I think I’ll use this instead of store-bought for pizza dough for this week’s pizza-night.

Bryanne says on March 21st, 2010 at 8:58 pm

Just made a second batch, but this time I added Parmesan cheese on top as well. Turned out very tasty!!! Thanks for this quick and easy recipe!

dott says on March 22nd, 2010 at 11:48 am

I’ve heard that you need something called “sour salt” to get real sourdough taste… Anybody know about that? We’d just about kill for some even half-decent sourdough in Fla.

Melissa says on March 23rd, 2010 at 11:36 am

I tried this recipe, letting it sit overnight last night and putting it in the oven before class this morning. Here’s the finished product: http://www.twitpic.com/1afcht
It might not have been golden brown enough but it still tastes lovely, and the next time I’ll try seasoning it and leaving it in the oven longer as well.

Norm S says on March 23rd, 2010 at 7:20 pm

Tried a couple of days ago and there was a yeasty smell in the bread. Is this normal? I used a plastic wrap instead of a cloth so perhaps it trapped too much gas? Also was a bit dense and moist. Add more flour?

Anne says on March 23rd, 2010 at 7:37 pm

I made this and was very pleased with the results. Next time I will use a bit of sugar with the yeast and put fresh garlic slices anf rosemary on top.

Erika says on March 23rd, 2010 at 10:16 pm

Just finished making this recipe and it turned out AMAZING my whole family loves it! I’m so glad I stumbld upon this! I added instead to the top just basil, garlic powder, and italian seasoning mix and it really adds a lot of flavor :) thanks again!

Sam says on March 23rd, 2010 at 10:53 pm

What the fuck? This is not 1 minute
what a load of bullshit

Jaina says on March 24th, 2010 at 10:16 am

Tried this recipe out on a whim – been told i should try baking bread. This looked simple enough and it really was! Thanks for this awesome recipe – bread went down brilliantly. Though mine might have needed a little less water/more baking – despite being golden brown is a was a little wet on the inside. Only a little though. Here is it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pizzagirl/4448559594/

Thanks again :)

Na'Tosha Bard says on March 24th, 2010 at 7:08 pm

Just in case anyone else was wondering, this doesn’t work with gluten-free flour (I’m a Celiac) :-P The mess I ended up with was hilarious.

LSTAR says on March 25th, 2010 at 9:40 am

Whenever I make bread, it’s always still very wet and doughy inside when I’m done.

Should I cook it longer, use more flour?

Carol says on March 25th, 2010 at 9:44 pm

super fast and super easy! finally, i bread i can make! i would definitely add more salt though!

Jan says on March 26th, 2010 at 3:59 pm

I’ve made this a couple of times, and I love it. It’s delicious with cream cheese and tomato slices on top.

RLD says on March 27th, 2010 at 10:50 pm

For you high altitude folks (Im at about 6k feet) it took me a lil more than 1/3rd of a cup extra water to get the right batch consistency per the recipe. Might be something to add into your information too. Us high altitude’ers are special :)

Dave Deciliter says on March 28th, 2010 at 5:37 pm

Hooray what a great recipe.

By the way a deciliter/decilitre is an unused measure like a firkin or a gill.

470 ml is the most common way of expressing it. In fact, just say “half a litre” and even the imperialheads will get it.

Google can do the lifting for you

http://www.google.com/search?&q=2+cups+in+ml

or Wolfram alpha
http://www.wolframalpha.com/in.....to+grammes

There’s another article for free – right there

TasteofBeirut says on March 29th, 2010 at 10:07 am

This is an interesting recipe! I’ll try it out tonight!

Eli says on March 29th, 2010 at 7:56 pm

I’ve made this bread several times now. Man it’s delicious! Works great with pasta, not to mention it makes a great sandwich.

Norm S says on March 29th, 2010 at 10:46 pm

I tried this recipe twice and both times, the bread was too moist and doughy although it was better the second time as I added more flour and baked it longer. I supposed this is the best you can do considering it’s a hack with minimal effort. I found this other recipe which requires much more time and work but the results are far better in that it looks and tastes much more like Ciabata.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Ciab.....read-29100

Kim says on April 2nd, 2010 at 11:31 am

Finally found a minute to try this bread. I have a breadmaker, but this is great “traveling” hack. I made it twice, one full size and once using half the ingredients. Each time I had to add more water to get the “between playdough and pancake batter” consistency.

I doubt anyone is reading this now, but for people adding vinegar , do you add it with the water or sprinkle it on the dough?

Carol says on April 4th, 2010 at 12:18 am

I have made this several times and it is awesome! I add more salt and a splash of olive oil. So easy and tasty! nom nom nom nom!

Joyce says on April 5th, 2010 at 5:38 am

NOM NOM NOM indeed!!!

Made some for with dinner tonight and will mix another batch tonight for baking in the morning. I can see myself getting very fat on this bread if I don’t watch it lol.

Jon says on April 5th, 2010 at 1:51 pm

My girlfriend and I made the dough last night before we went to sleep, and baked it this morning. Bravo on the recipe, it’s amazing, better than store bought ciabatta.

Tegan says on April 8th, 2010 at 9:23 am

Adding vinegar: remove 2 or 3 Tablespoons of water before adding the yeast. Then after the yeast is all mixed in, replace with 2 or 3 Tablespoons vinegar (I like cider vinegar; you could add olive oil at this stage, too) before adding liquid to the flour & salt (and herbs, if used). Once mixed, add more water, if needed, to get the described consistency.

Moisture level: Ovens vary. You have to adapt the instructions to get the best outcome given your actual results. I always have to cook longer than the 25 minutes given by the recipe. At 25 minutes I take a peek to see how far short of ‘done’ the bread is. Re-set timer for another 5 minutes. And again, repeating as needed until the bread has a bit of golden color to it.

Russ says on April 8th, 2010 at 6:32 pm

Made it yesterday. It was incredible. I was experimentin’, so I put herbs on half and a large grained sea salt on the other. Herbs were good, but the salt was a huge hit.

Bridget says on April 9th, 2010 at 5:27 pm

Just made it and it was great! So good fresh out of the oven. I thought it would be hard, but it was soft and yummy. I may add more salt next time though

wonderpoose says on April 10th, 2010 at 6:02 pm

Best. Idea. Ever. I set it to rise before I go off to Uni in the morning, throw a soup in the slow cooker, then when I get home I just throw the bread in the oven, and dinner is ready in no time flat! My kids absolutely adore it.

Helen says on April 11th, 2010 at 5:47 pm

Thanks so much for this recipe! Making this was just as easy as using the bread machine. The bread turned out so delicious that my husband and I ate the whole loaf for lunch by itself.

messenger says on April 17th, 2010 at 3:45 pm

Ciabatta??? Where’s the olive oil????

Rachael says on April 17th, 2010 at 5:00 pm

This has readily become one of our family’s favourites. So easy to set up in the morning and quick to finish at night!

We have let it sit any where from 7 to 12 hours and it is amazing every time.

Our favourite toppings are: dill, garlic, thyme, and celery salt.

It keeps really well, too. Used it for sandwiches the next day and the day after!

Mariana Bandarra says on April 17th, 2010 at 11:27 pm

Finally tried it, with wholewheat flour. Very nice indeed. Loved it. My topping of choice was basil, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Yum.

MousE says on April 21st, 2010 at 11:19 pm

This is a great recipe. I’ve made it twice, no problems either time. The frst I made exactly as written, it was quite tasty but it did spread out a bit much for my taste, so the 2nd time, I tweaked it. I substituted 1/2 cup fresh ground flaxseed for 1/2 cup flour, and added 1 tbsp ground rosemary. When time to bake, I poured it into a large souffle pot, drizzled olive oil,basil and sea salt on it. I let it rest a good two hours before baking, and did not knead or punch or disturb the dough.

Whoah. EXCELLENT result.

Thank you so much! I’ve been using the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes recipe, but there are only two of us, and it soured a little too much before we used it all. This is just right for two people.

Thanks again! Want to try it next with half whole wheat and half white, and will keep the flaxseed addition. Very nice flavor.

Cheers!

MNK says on April 27th, 2010 at 2:30 pm

Made it. Loved it. Will make again.

Nathaniel says on April 29th, 2010 at 9:00 am

Finally got to try this out after finding this recipe a week ago. It turned out deliciously! The crust was hard and crunchy, but the inside soft and smooth.

Thank you very much for this simple recipe!

Magpie says on May 1st, 2010 at 4:01 am

I’ve just turned the dough out onto the pan. I’m relieved it looks like your pictures, because it does seem a bit runny for bread dough. I guess thats where the airy texture comes from. Finally, quick bread I can make without kneading and without buying bread full of HFCS!

Caroline says on May 6th, 2010 at 12:41 am

I doubled the recipe and studded half of it with cheese, even at 7,000 feet it came out perfectly! My first bread! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!

Zach says on May 7th, 2010 at 9:08 pm

The first time I tried to make this, I messed it up with extra flour and water… I’m trying again tonight, just to see what will happen if I do it right. Thanks for this easy recipe, I hope my second time baking bread will be successful.

ian says on May 18th, 2010 at 10:26 am

so tasty! so delicious!
smearing butter on it a few minutes out of the oven is just heavenly!
spreading the word! thank you.

darksorceressmonoke says on June 5th, 2010 at 9:43 pm

I’ve done this bread two times with a third in the oven right now! First one was in a normal oven and the second I brought to school to cook over our fire pit. Both were absolutely delicious with a bit of garlic and italian seasoning on top.

This time around though, I’m putting some cinnamon and brown sugar on top, I’ll tell you all how it tastes after it cooks. ^^

Katrina says on June 7th, 2010 at 8:24 pm

I tried this about a week ago. I love to cook but have never made bread; I was too intimidated. This was awesome. All crusty on the outside, and chewy on the inside. YUMMY! Can’t wait to try it out again. Need to get more flour. I think I’ll roast some garlic to spread on this one. THANKS!

Jenn@Red says on June 10th, 2010 at 8:33 pm

My little girl and I made this last night. Although we let it rise for 24hrs we are baking it now to see if it comes out right. If not we will start over! She did all the work and had a blast…thank you!

Janice Price says on June 23rd, 2010 at 10:20 am

This recipe is a keeper. The texture is just lovely, crunchy outside, tender inside, and pleasantly chewy all around.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com.....ed1272.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com.....b1b455.jpg

HJ Toby says on June 26th, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Thanks for the recipe, Seth. It worked like a charm. I used basically your recipe though I bumped up the yeast to 1/4 tsp and the salt to 1 1/2 tsp. In 7 hrs, on the counter and covered with a piece of waxed paper and a clean dish cloth, it rose to fill my stainless steel mixing bowl. I dumped the dough out onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet, baked for 30 min @ 400*, sprayed the crust with water every 3 min. for the first 9 min. and it turned out beautifully – right amount of “chew” and nice and airy, like your picture in Step #9. (Oh yes, I had a small stainless bowl of water in the oven to raise the humidity during the baking time.) If there’s a no-fuss bread recipe that’s a keeper, this is definitely it! Next I’ll try some seasonings on it.

SyHawk says on July 5th, 2010 at 2:27 pm

Tried this today. It was easy to put together. It seemed like it was undone after 25 minutes. I put it on the stone to bake. Should I have let it bake longer or should I have added more flour or something? It has a great flavor with the herbs. Thanks!

Club Penguin says on July 8th, 2010 at 3:49 pm

Wow, that looks amazing.

I will have to try this as soon as I get home, nothing but good reviews.

ayotex123 says on July 8th, 2010 at 3:52 pm

Wow, that looks amazing.

Can't wait to try it as soon as I get home. Everybody is posting amazing reviews, pics are awesome. thanks for the recipe

cherry says on July 14th, 2010 at 1:19 pm

I haven't figured how to print this lovely recipe without doing 17 pages. did i miss a print friendly option?

elliot says on July 27th, 2010 at 4:16 am

How is spending $100 or more on an unnecessary machine that is basically doing the same thing a mixing bowl and wooded spoon can do?

@RobinLauren says on August 3rd, 2010 at 4:44 pm

Woohoo! I made bread!

@RobinLauren says on August 5th, 2010 at 5:03 am

Apart from myself, my son (five today!) was impressed. He suggested we dub it "daddy's good bread" :) though i'll still be calling it "daddy's five minute bread" until i can make it faster. And to impress my wife if i actually get it done faster than five minutes.

Ms. Mary says on August 18th, 2010 at 11:20 am

You want bread in a minute or less? Open your bread bag and take out a slice.
You want a natural, wholesome product without preservatives that you can nibble on all week AND save a fortune on overpriced groceries? Make your own.
I have a beautiful bread machine that never gets used. I love the process of making it, myself. (And no, I'm not a stay at homer with nothing better to do. I'm a very busy grad student with a full time job. This recipe appeals to me because I can quickly throw it together in the morning, leave for the day, come home and bake it, and then have a delicious dinner…and breakfast and lunch for the rest of the week!)

Ms. Mary says on August 18th, 2010 at 11:27 am

Thomas, your ciabatta looks fantastic. Mine is resting as we speak!
We like to buy ciabatta from the grocery store, but at $5 a loaf it's a bit ridiculous. If this works, no more of that nonsense!

Jeff Gillman says on August 18th, 2010 at 11:45 am

I've been making this bread a lot lately, thank you for the recipe. I hope you don't mind, I've added it to Kitchen Monki so I can use it in my own meal planning, and so others can enjoy it (and did attribute it to Lifehacker, with a linkback). http://www.kitchenmonki.com/re.....nute_Bre... . Kitchen Monki is a great free recipe manager and meal planner and shopping list generator, and after looking at many such offerings, this is the one I'm using from now on.