Sun-Dried Tomato Ciabatta
Prep
20 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This is one of my favorite breads to make at home because it comes together in just an hour, start to finish. The sun dried tomatoes give it such a vibrant flavor and a beautiful rustic look, plus they're packed with lycopene, which is wonderful for heart health. What I love most is how simple it really is: you mix, you knead a little, you let it rise, and before you know it you've got this gorgeous, crusty ciabatta studded with juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and briny olives. It's incredibly forgiving too, so even if you're new to bread baking, this recipe won't let you down.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 500 gstrong bread flour
- 350 mlwarm water
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 10 gsea salt
- 30 mlolive oil
- 100 gsun-dried tomatoes(chopped)
- 15 gfresh basil(finely chopped)
- 3garlic cloves(minced)
- 80 gred onion(finely diced)
- 80 gblack olives(pitted and halved)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Combine warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
Tip: This activates the yeast and ensures your bread will rise properly.
- 2
Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Tip: The dough should be slightly sticky; resist adding too much flour as ciabatta relies on a wet dough for its characteristic open crumb.
- 3
Drizzle olive oil into the dough and incorporate the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, red onion, and olives. Fold these ingredients gently into the dough until evenly distributed.
Tip: Reserve a few sun-dried tomatoes for pressing into the top of the shaped loaves for visual appeal.
- 4
Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise for 90 minutes at room temperature until doubled in size.
Tip: A warm kitchen speeds up fermentation; aim for around 24°C for optimal results.
- 5
Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently divide into two portions. Shape each into a long, rustic oval about 25 cm long, keeping an airy structure.
Tip: Handle the dough loosely to maintain the open texture ciabatta is known for.
- 6
Place shaped loaves on parchment paper. Press reserved sun-dried tomato pieces into the tops and cover loosely with a cloth for a 30-minute second rise.
Tip: The second rise should be shorter as the dough is already developed with flavour.
- 7
Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly spray the loaves with water and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Tip: Steam in the first few minutes of baking helps develop the characteristic crispy crust.
- 8
Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tip: Slicing warm bread causes it to compress; cooling allows the crumb structure to set.
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