Ciabatta

Sun dried tomatoes and basil Ciabatta rolls

"Where do we spend our vacation this time Honey?"

Oh I love that question! As I was busy preparing our dinner last night, my hubby popped that question to me. I have no idea yet, I replied. The truth is, after our common passion for food we both love travelling. And who doesn't? Travelling is always the best way to discover and meet people, their culture, their cuisine and their way of life. When we were students we were backpackers who would stay, eat and travel the cheapest way. Oh you wouldn't imagine how severely I haggle just to have discounts. :-) But gone are those days. Not that we have more money and we have grown older now. I guess it's just different now because we have a kid. Our perspective in life changes to a new dimension. No more risky travel I guess.

As I continue to contemplate our next destination, I couldn't help but remember one of the best places I have been, Italy. The spectacular monuments, churchers, museums and plazzas and their delectable cuisine. Do not blame me if I ended up baking some ciabatta.

This is my entry to Grow Your Own a blogging event created by Andrea and is being hosted by Bee of Jugalbandi. You have until July 30 to send your entries.

Sun dried Tomatoes and Basil Ciabatta Rolls
(there exist a lot of recipes in making this Italian slipper bread and this recipe is one of them)
460 g of flour
250 ml of warm water
1 sachet (about 1 teaspoon of dry yeast)
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 tablespoon of chopped Sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon of chopped basil (you can use fresh or dry ones)
(you can add more or less of the tomatoes and basil )

Dissolve the yeast on the warm water and add about one cup of flour on it. Let this stand for about an hour. Once little bubbles are formed on your yeast you can start putting the rest of the flour on your working table. Make a whole in the middle and add your dissolved yeast. Add the salt and olive oil. Work this dough for about ten minutes. Do not hesitate to put flour if it becomes too sticky. Add your chopped tomatoes and basil. Form a big ball and let this stand for an hour, cover it with wet towel. After the first rise cut the dough in six equal parts. To form the ciabatta bread, with the aid of your rolling pin flatten each ball of about 1 cm thickness. Fold from top to the center and the lower part to the center. You will now have long rectangular shaped dough. Fold again from right to the center and the left to the center. Imagine it will be like a folded square towel that is a little bit plumpy on the top. Powder it with flour and let it rise for another hour directly on your parchement papers. Preheat the oven at 200° celsius and bake the bread for about twenty to twenty five minutes. You can put a ramekin with a water inside the oven while baking the bread to have a crusty bread.

Believe me its delicious!!!

My other bread recipes:

Caramelized Onions, Roasted Tomatoes Foccacia Bread
Rosemary and Black Olive Fougasse
Mini-flute Bread