Sourdough Ciabatta & Italian Bread

Directions

1. Start tea kettle or boil water.
2. Mill the flour
3. Prepare the yudane by mixing 30 grams of your flour from above with boiling water to form a paste.
4. Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl, with yudane being the first ingredient followed by the remaining water. This cools the yudane down so it doesn’t kill the sourdough starter when that is added to the bowl.
5. Mix with the dough hook attachment, first on low to incorporate the flour, then kick it up to high speed for up to 3 minutes. If your mixer can handle longer mixing, mix on lower speed for up to 10 minutes or until the bowl is cleaned. If using a kitchen aid, there should be a fifteen minute rest between mixing sessions.
6. Transfer the dough to a proofing bowl, lightly oiled.
7. Imagine the dough is a clock face. Grab the dough at 12 o'clock and stretch it up into the air and press it down gently into the center of the clock face. Turn the bowl and do the next number on the clock. Repeat this step until the dough has tightened up and it isn't stretching as far.
8. Let the dough rise until risen by 50%, or approximately 3-6 hours.
9. Shape as mentioned above.
10. Allow it to rise before baking, and score the top of the loaf if you like for the Italian bread option. If it’s jiggly, I consider that ready to bake.
11. Bake at 450 F for 25 minutes with steam for a loaf, followed by 20 minutes at 400 F. For rolls, bake at 450 F convection for 15 minutes with steam or 450 F without convection with steam for 20-25 minutes. Without convection will be lighter rolls.
12. Remove from the oven, and let cool on a baking rack.
13. Store on the counter cut side down, or in a paper bag for crusty crusts. Plastic bags will be fine for softer crusts.