This bread has a chewy golden crust and a tender interior turned a pale yellow by the semolina flour (if you use yellow semolina flour). If you use white semolina flour, you can also add a teaspoon of malt extract to get a nice colour. The sesame seeds add a nice nutty flavor.
It's my favourite type of bread, but I tend to snack on it (too much) when I make it.
It's a bit finicky to prepare, but it's worth it in the end.
Artisan Ciabatta with Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 dessert spoon) fresh yeast
1/4 cup warm water, no hotter than 45 C
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 dessert spoon sugar (or with a proportion of malt extract)
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups or 350 grams durum wheat or semolina flour
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon or 150 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (I use 00 flour)
1 dessert spoon or 10-15 grams fine sea salt
1/3 cup sesame seeds
Cooking Directions
Heat the oven to 220 degrees.
In a measuring cup dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Whisk the EVOO and the cup of water together.
Put the flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the knife blade. Pulse 2 or 3 times to mix the dry ingredients. (You can make the dough by hand in a large bowl. Put the wet ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the flour a cup at a time until the dough forms. Knead it until the dough is soft and silky smooth.)
With the machine running pour in the yeast mixture and then the water/oil mixture.
Process for about 45 seconds after the dough comes together.
Knead on a floured surface until the dough feels smooth.
Form the dough into a ball and put it in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm place to rise until double in size, 60-90 minutes.
Press the dough down and put it on a floured work surface.
Cut the dough in half to form 2 balls.
Flatten the ball with your fingers to form a rectangle.
Tightly roll the dough to form a cylinder, each loaf should be about 10 inches long and 6 inches in diameter.
Wet the top of each loaf, sprinkle with sesame seeds and press the seeds in with your fingers.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel to keep the loaves from drying out.
Set aside to double in size, 60-90 minutes.
Sprinkle corn meal on a peel or baking sheet.
Place the loaves on the peel or sheet and make 3 slashes on the top of each loaf with a razor.
Slide the loaves onto the baking stone or place the sheet on the stone. (If you do not have a baking stone, put the sheet on the lowest rack of the oven.)
Spray the loaves several times with water. The moisture helps the bread expand more before the crust sets.
After about 10 minutes reduce the heat to 175 and bake in the dry oven until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when you knock on them, about 25 -30 minutes.
Cool the loaves on a wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing.
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