ciabatta italian slipper bread

🥘 Ingredients

• • active dry yeast
• • water
• • bread flour
• • milk
• • olive oil
• • salt

📝 Instructions

1. 1 make sponge: stir together , warm water and yeast
2. 2 let stand 5 minutes , until creamy
3. 3 transfer yeast mixture to another bowl and add room-temp water and flour
4. 4 stir for 4 minutes
5. 5 cover bowl with plastic wrap
6. 6 let stand at cool room temp at least 12 hours and up to 1 day
7. 7 make bread: stir together yeast and milk in small bowl and let stand 5 minutes , until creamy
8. 8 in bowl of standing electric mixer , with dough hook , blend together milk mixture , sponge , water , oil and flour at low speed until flour is moistened
9. 9 beat on medium for 3 minutes
10. 10 add salt and beat for 4 more minutes
11. 11 scrape dough into oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap , until doubled- about 1 1 / 2 hours
12. 12 cut two pieces of parchment paper , approx 12 inches by 6 inches
13. 13 place on baking sheet and flour well
14. 14 turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and cut in half
15. 15 transfer each half to paper and form irregular ovals approx 9 inches long
16. 16 dip fingers in flour and dimple loaves
17. 17 dust tops with flour
18. 18 cover with dampened kitchen towel and let rise 1 1 / 2 to 2 hours , until almost doubled
19. 19 at least 45 minutes before baking bread , pre-heat pizza stone on lowest oven rack position at 425f
20. 20 transfer 1 loaf , along with parchment paper , onto stone and bake for 20 minutes or until pale golden
21. 21 remove to cooling racks and repeat with second loaf