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Red Pepper Ciabatta

Red Pepper Ciabatta

If you’re a fan of fresh, homemade bread, you’re going to love this one. I’m sharing my recipe for Sweet Red Pepper Ciabatta — it’s light, full of flavor, and honestly way easier to make than you might think. The roasted red peppers add just the right amount of sweetness and make each bite a little more special. Perfect for sandwiches, soups, or just tearing apart and eating straight out of the oven. 

I first saw this stunning ciabatta recipe from Alessandro Sogno @sourly and had to try it myself. Original recipe called for chili peppers but i swapped the chili for finely chopped red sweet pepper to bring a subtle sweetness and gentle warmth—perfect if you want bold flavor without the heat. I also used my Brod & Taylor folding proofer to keep fermentation temperature steady, and baked with a Baking steel and a Baking shell for that perfect crust and oven spring.

Ingredients:

Preferment (Sponge)

• 210g bread flour 

• 126g lukewarm water

• 2g dry instant yeast or 6g fresh yeast

Ingredients:

• All of the preferment

• 140g bread flour 

• 100g water(1) +90g water(2)

• 8g baking salt 

Red Pepper Paste:

• 30g red sweet pepper, finely chopped

• 8g olive oil

• 1 garlic clove 

Directions:

Night before

• Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water: 26°C / 79°F in summer, 30°C / 86°F in winter.

• Add the flour and mix until fully hydrated. Dough should be rough but cohesive.

• Transfer to a tall, narrow container

• Let ferment at 20-22C/68-72F overnight 

Final Dough

Next day

• Prepare the pepper paste by blending red peppers in food processor along with olive oil and garlic clove..

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Mixing the Dough

• Add preferment, flour, and 100g water (1) to a mixing bowl.

• Mix until dough will come up together, become smooth and gluten begins to form.

• Add salt.

• Gradually add the remaining water(2) and continue kneading, dough should come up together, become smooth and obedient.

• The dough should feel elastic with gentle resistance. Add all Red Pepper Paste at the end of kneading. Let the paste incorporate well (knead for about 1 min). Continue to the next step.

Bulk Fermentation

• Gently fold the dough on the counter to tighten it, then transfer to a lightly oiled container.

• Use your Brod & Taylor folding proofer set to a consistent temperature to maintain ideal fermentation.

• During the first hour, do 1–2 stretch and folds if the gluten feels weak.

• Once doubled in size, pre-shape loosely, then return to the container and let it double again.

Shaping & Baking

• Generously flour your surface.

• Divide the dough into 2 equal ciabatta loaves and place on a floured couche to rest for 20–30 minutes.

• Preheat your oven to 260°C / 500°F, with a Baking steel inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure it’s fully heated.

To Bake with Steam:

• Carefully place one ciabatta on the Baking steel and cover with a Baking shell.

• Bake 10 minutes covered (with steam) at 500°F / 260°C.

• Remove the Baking Shell and bake another 10 minutes uncovered, still at 500°F / 260°C.

To Bake Two Ciabattas Efficiently:

• After the first ciabatta finishes baking, slide it to one side of the Baking steel.

• Add the second ciabatta to the other side and cover with the Baking shell.

• This allows you to bake two loaves almost back-to-back with consistent results.

Enjoy!

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