Ciabatta with sourdough

Here's how:

• 1

  Dissolve the yeast in water at 15 °C. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the salt. Knead in a mixer for 2 minutes on low speed and 7 minutes on high speed. Add the salt and continue kneading on high speed for about 4–5 minutes. Double the time if kneading by hand. The dough should be sticky even after it’s fully mixed. A stretchy, lovely dough.

• 2

  Grease a plastic bowl and scrape the dough into it. Cover the bowl with a cloth, lid, or plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature. 

• 3

  After 1 hour, fold the dough. This can be a little messy—take one edge and fold it toward the center, then take the other edge and fold it over to meet the first. Try to turn the entire dough over after you’ve folded it, and let it rise for another hour.

• 4

  After letting the dough rest for 2 hours, gently turn it out onto a floured work surface. Shape it by lifting and gently stretching the dough into a rectangular shape.

• 5

  Divide the dough lengthwise into two pieces and carefully transfer the loaves to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sift a little durum wheat over the loaves and let them rise for about 40 minutes, covered with a cloth or plastic wrap.

• 6

  Preheat the oven to 270 °C. Place the bread in the oven, lower the temperature to 230 °C, and bake for 18–25 minutes. Remove the bread and let it cool on a wire rack. Serve with a little olive oil and sea salt.