These sourdough ciabatta rolls have an assertive herb flavor and subtle sourdough tang, and are perfect to use for sandwiches and paninis, as garlic bread, or just dipped in olive oil. Another great way to use your sourdough starter discard!
1¼cups(285grams)water, warmed between 100°F to 110°F, see Recipe Notes
1cup(227grams)sourdough starter discard, fed or unfed, room temperature, see Recipe Notes
¾cup(180grams)milk, warmed between 100°F to 110°F
1tablespoon(15grams)extra virgin olive oil
1tablespoon(8grams)kosher salt
1tablespoon(1tablespoon)mixed herbs, chopped, see Recipe Notes
2teaspoons(6grams)instant yeast, or Active dry, see Recipe Notes
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together 6 cups (720 grams) flour, water, sourdough starter, milk, olive oil, salt, herbs, and yeast.
Knead the dough lightly until you have a smooth, slack dough, but not oozy. If necessary, add more flour in two tablespoon increments to get the right dough consistency.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 2 hours, or until it doubles in size (the oven with just the light turned on works well).
Gently deflate the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 9- x 16-inches. Cut into twelve 3- x 4-inch rolls using a bench scraper or chef’s knife. Try to make the rolls approximately the same size, but don’t stress about exact measurements.
Place the rolls on two half sheet baking pans lined with Silpat silicone mats or parchment paper, six to a pan. Space the rolls a little - they'll need room for expansion. Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 425 °F. Place a large frying pan filled with water in the bottom of the oven (off to one side). The water will warm while the oven is heating, creating a steamy environment so the crusts get nice and brown. Just be careful when you're opening the oven door - you will get a face full of steam!
Spray the rolls with water and sift a thin layer of flour on top. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets, working quickly to avoid losing steam. Lower the oven temperature to 375 °F and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the rolls are a deep golden brown.
Remove the rolls from the oven, turn off the oven, and return the rolls to the oven with its door cracked open a couple of inches. Let rolls cool completely in the cooling oven.
Storage instructions: Cooled ciabatta rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or frozen in an airtight bag for up to 3 months.
Notes
If you want chewier rolls with larger holes, you can add up to ⅓ cup (85 grams) more water, and stir the dough rather than knead it. In order to keep the dough strong enough to handle the increased hydration level, replace the all-purpose flour with bread flour. Working with the dough will be a bit different because it will be so wet, so you'll need different rising and shaping instructions than what is above.If you use Active Dry yeast, then you might want to sprinkle yeast on to the warmed water with a teaspoon of sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Letting it foam "proves" the yeast is active and ready to go to work.If you don't want use commercial yeast in this sourdough ciabatta recipe, replace the yeast in this recipe with ½ cup (114 grams) of active, fed starter, and reduce the amount of flour by about ½ cup (57 grams) and water by about ¼ cup (57 grams). The rising time will be longer (about double) for both the first and second rises.You can use any combination of fresh or dried herbs you prefer: Italian herbs could include rosemary, oregano, basil, and other combinations like sage and thyme or herbs de Provence are lovely. Use whatever herbs you’d like to compliment the cuisine you’ll be serving, or leave them out entirely if that's your preference.