Bread Diary - Ciabatta

To accompany the fresh pasta and sauce we had for dinner Monday night, it was only fitting that we had a bit of Italian bread on the side (like we needed more carbs....). It was also the next loaf in the book, so it worked out perfectly (it was like I planned it or something...).

There are some really interesting facts I'm learning as I progress my way through this bread book. For one, a lot of breads use a very similar dough, usually white flour, and the variation is in how you shape and form them. A ciabatta, for example, is a flattened oval loaf that rises only slightly in the oven, creating some lovely air pockets. It also does not require a dusting of flour on the top, and instead you shape the bread with wet hands (to keep from sticking). This gives the crust a more uniform and golden colour and crunch.

Even though the recipe didn't call for it, I sprinkled a bit of garlic powder on top of the bread before I baked it for our version of garlic bread. In hindsight, I might have just made a garlic butter, because its a little powerful on my toast in the morning...