Recipe · Ciabatta · Overnight
82% Hydration Overnight Ciabatta
Ciabatta is wet dough that fights you and wins. High hydration, a biga preferment, minimal shaping, and a finished loaf riddled with the irregular holes that hold olive oil and tomato.
Total time
14 hours
Active
75 minutes
Hydration
82%
Difficulty
⌬⌬⌬
At 82% hydration, the dough barely holds its own shape. The reward is dramatic: large irregular holes, a crisp blistered crust, and the flavor that comes from very wet doughs that have spent a long time fermenting. The cost is technique.
The overnight schedule is the home baker's standard. Mix in the evening, cold-ferment in the refrigerator overnight, shape and bake the next morning. Flavor improves dramatically with time, and the schedule fits a normal life.
Ingredients
900g total dough. Yields 2 ciabattas, ~400g each baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 475 g | 100% |
| Water | 390 g | 82% |
| Salt | 9.5 g | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 1.4 g | 0.3% |
| Olive oil | 24 g | 5% |
Schedule
- Day 1, 6:00 PMMix flour and water. Autolyse 30 minutes.
- Day 1, 6:30 PMAdd yeast and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Day 1, 7:00 PMStretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
- Day 1, 9:00 PMBulk ferment 1-2 more hours at room temperature.
- Day 1, 10:30 PMDivide the dough into 2 equal portions. Pre-shape each, rest 20 minutes, then shape gently into rectangles on a heavily floured surface. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2, 7:00 AMPull from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven and a baking stone to bake temperature. Place a steam tray on the lower rack.
- Day 2, 8:00 AMSkip scoring (ciabatta bakes without cuts). Slide onto the preheated stone. Bake at 475°F with steam (a tray of boiling water on the lower rack) for 22 minutes until deep golden.
Method tips for this style
Don't try to shape ciabatta with your hands. Turn the bulk-fermented dough onto a heavily floured counter, divide with a bench scraper, and lift each portion gently onto the peel. The shape is whatever the dough wants to be.
What to expect
Maximum open crumb with large irregular holes throughout. The crust crisps in pooled olive oil; the interior is light and airy.
Advertisement
More Recipes
Related Guides
Ciabatta: The Dough That Shouldn't Work, But Does
Ciabatta dough is wetter than seems reasonable. A biga, a slow fermentation, and a specific set of folds turn it into an open, airy loaf.
Mar 10, 2026
Baker's Percentages Explained For Home Bakers
The universal language of bread bakers, in plain English. Learn how flour always equals 100% and why that makes every recipe scale instantly.
Feb 8, 2026