What is Ciabatta?

The ciabatta is a relatively young bread recipe dating from 1982. It was supposedly created in Italy by Arnaldo Cavallari, who named the bread ciabatta polesana after the Polesine region of Italy. The Italian Ciabatta was originally produced as an alternative to the French baguette.

The ciabatta recipe consists of wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. What makes ciabatta bread different is that is a chewy bread with a crisp crust, typified by it’s airy dough. The recipe itself was originally licensed only to 11 countries around the world but has since become commonly produced around the globe.

The ciabatta bread is typically used for sandwiches or as a side to soups and savory dishes. You’ve probably seen it served as part of a panini sandwich. In Italy, the ciabatta bread is traditionally consumed dipped in olive oil at any time of day.

In some regions of Italy the Ciabatta is called Filone Bread.

What is the history of ciabatta bread?

You might think that ciabatta originated hundreds of years ago by a sweet Italian grandmother in Italy…but surprisingly, it isn’t an ancient bread recipe, not unless you consider the 1980s to be ancient.

Arnaldo Cavallari created the ciabatta bread in 1982 in Venice, Italy. The Italian baking community found itself concerned over the growing popularity of baguette bread in the country. Naturally, the invasion of French bread threatened their businesses.

With the threat of baguettes over his head, Arnaldo Cavallari got to work creating an Italian alternative. After trial and error, the ciabatta Polesano, named after Cavallari’s homeland in Italy, was born.

Despite its relative lack of cultural significance when compared to other Italian bread, the ciabatta grew in popularity throughout the many regions of Italy, with each boasting their own take on the bread.

Cavallari’s own recipe was soon licensed to bakeries in 11 countries by 1999. It was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1985 by retail titan Marks and Spencer Group and then to the United States in 1987 to the Orlando Bakery in Cleveland, OH.

The Orlando Bakery quickly developed a frozen alternative to its fresh loaf offerings. Mass production ensued, and the ciabatta spread across the United States and its titans of food production.

Today the bread is well known as a sandwich necessity for the panini and other sandwiches. Bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores alike boast their own type of ciabatta bread.

Ingredients in Ciabatta

The ingredients of ciabatta bread vary on regional inspiration and country, with the United States ciabatta varying from those of Italian origin, and so on. However, there are key ingredients found in most ciabatta recipes.

• Flour

• Bakers Yeast

• Olive Oil

• Salt

Ciabatta Nutritional Information

Ciabatta bread is not as sweet or fat-heavy as many artisanal bread types.

Ciabatta bread does provide some protein, with an average serving containing roughly 5 grams. It contains about 30 grams of carbohydrates and 278 grams of sodium. However, it provides very little fiber or vitamins.

How to Make Ciabatta

The Ciabatta bread is easily identified by its alveolar holes. These holes are distinctively overlarge in ciabatta and give it its soft texture.

In order to achieve the texture of ciabatta, the yeast, flour, and water are left to ferment for 12-16 hours to create a biga. This biga is a starter for the ciabatta dough but also puts the yeast through a secondary fermentation process which adds flavor to the dough.

The dough should be sticky but not soupy, before the first proofing stage. The ciabatta dough, once mixed and kneaded, goes through three separate proofing processes, the final of which occurs after the dough has been shaped and placed on a greased tray.

Ciabatta bread is typically baked at higher temperatures, between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit to achieve a crisp golden crust. To prevent the dough from losing its moistness, you should mist the dough before baking it.

Ciabatta being an artisan bread, is best enjoyed fresh or wrapped and frozen within a day after baking to preserve freshness.

Ciabatta Recipes

Ciabatta varies depending on the region of the world it comes from. Not every Italian variation is the same, and the variations of the United States are different from their Italian predecessors.

The Italian region of Lombardy, for example, offers a crisp crust and soft texture. However, its cousin in Tuscany has a firmer crust and dense crumb. Roman ciabatta is traditionally seasoned with marjoram or other savory spices.

There are newer variations blossoming. The ciabatta integrale contains wholemeal, where the ciabatta al latte is made with milk instead of olive oil. You can add garlic or tomato to the loaves for a savory dish. Ciabatta is typically served and dipped in olive oil for a healthy snack.

Ciabatta FAQ's