Recipe · Ciabatta · Same-Day
65% Hydration Same-Day Ciabatta
Ciabatta is wet dough that fights you and wins. High hydration, a biga preferment, minimal shaping, and a finished loaf riddled with the irregular holes that hold olive oil and tomato.
Total time
5 hours
Active
60 minutes
Hydration
65%
Difficulty
⌬⌬⌬
At 65% hydration, the dough is firm and forgiving. It shapes cleanly, holds its form during proof, and produces a tighter, more even crumb. Good for beginners, sandwich loaves, and anything you want to slice neatly.
A same-day schedule fits a Saturday afternoon. Mix in the morning, bake by dinner, and use commercial yeast at a percentage that matches the timeline. Flavor is honest but less developed; structure is reliable.
Ingredients
900g total dough. Yields 2 ciabattas, ~400g each baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 521 g | 100% |
| Water | 339 g | 65% |
| Salt | 10.4 g | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 4.2 g | 0.8% |
| Olive oil | 26 g | 5% |
Schedule
- Hour 0Mix flour, water, yeast. Autolyse 20 minutes.
- Hour 0:20Add salt, mix until smooth.
- Hour 0:30First fold.
- Hour 1:00Second fold.
- Hour 1:30Third fold.
- Hour 2:00Bulk ferment until visibly puffy.
- Hour 3:30Divide into 2 portions, pre-shape, rest 20 minutes, final shape, proof 45-60 minutes.
- Hour 5:00Skip scoring (ciabatta bakes without cuts). Slide onto the preheated stone. Bake at 475°F with steam (a tray of boiling water on the lower rack) for 22 minutes until deep golden.
Method tips for this style
Don't try to shape ciabatta with your hands. Turn the bulk-fermented dough onto a heavily floured counter, divide with a bench scraper, and lift each portion gently onto the peel. The shape is whatever the dough wants to be.
What to expect
A denser version of the style than purists would shape. The dough handles easily and bakes into a structured loaf, but you give up some of the open-crumb drama the higher hydrations bring.
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