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Several baked and flour dusted ciabatta rolls in white dish with blue and white towel.

Easy Same Day Ciabatta Rolls

Yield: 8 to 10 rolls
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rising/Resting Time:: 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (460 g) very warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
  • 1 tablespoon (10 g) instant yeast
  • 4 cups (568 g) bread flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (9 g) table salt

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, stir together the water and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 6 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
  • Add the flour and salt and mix until combined and no dry streaks remain. The dough will be shaggy in texture.
  • Cover and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes until the dough is puffy.
  • Stretch and fold the dough: wet your hand with cool water so the dough doesn't stick. Pull the dough up and over and fold it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl about a third of a turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Do this one more time.
  • Cover and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes. Repeat the stretch and folds (3 to 4 stretch and folds around the dough).
  • Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper, lightly grease with cooking spray and set aside.
  • On a lightly floured counter, gently turn the bowl on its side and lightly scrape to release it (or let gravity do the work) so the dough pulls out of the bowl and onto the counter without deflating. You don't want to get rid of the air bubbles that have formed during the stretching, folding and rising.
  • Gently pat the dough into a rectangle, about 8X12 inches and at least 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick.
  • Use a pizza cutter, bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into about 8 or 10 squares or rectangles. Don't deflate the dough while cutting.
  • Place the rolls on the prepared sheet pans, spacing about 1 to 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy, 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack while the oven preheats OR toss several ice cubes into the bottom of the oven (make sure they don't land on the glass door) right before placing the pan of rolls in the oven.
  • Bake for 15 to 16 minutes until golden brown and baked through.

Notes

Rising Time: the rest/rise time in between stretch and folds can be sped up by using the proof function on your oven if you have it (no warmer than 90 to 100 degrees F). Or place a bowl of warm water in the bottom of your oven (keep oven turned off but turn oven light on) and place bowl of dough on the rack above. If using a warm oven, the dough rest/rise time will shorten to about 15 to 20 minutes. It's ready for stretching/folding when it is noticeably puffy. Likewise, a warm oven (following the instructions above) can be used to speed up the rising of the dough in bulk after the stretch/folds and after shaping. 
Flour: all-purpose flour can be used in place of the bread flour. The rolls may not be quite as chewy and fluffy using all-purpose flour.