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Easy Small Batch Ciabatta Rolls Recipe

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4.9 from 145 reviews

These Easy Small Batch Ciabatta Rolls feature a wet, sticky dough with high hydration, creating light, airy, and rustic bread rolls with a chewy crust. Perfect for small gatherings, these rolls are made with simple ingredients and a method involving stretch and folds to develop texture and gluten, baked with steam for a crisp crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 240 grams water, at room temperature (approximately 1 cup)
  • 300 grams all-purpose flour (approximately 2.5 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: In a small cup, dissolve the instant yeast in lukewarm water and stir to mix together. Let it sit for 2 minutes until it starts to bubble and develop a yeasty aroma. In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl and whisk until fully combined, scraping down the sides. The dough will be very sticky and wet, with about 80% hydration. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Stretch and Fold the Dough: Wet your hands with water to make handling easier. Stretch and fold the dough in the bowl by folding each edge into the center, one edge at a time. This should take less than a minute for all four sides. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold process two more times, allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes after each fold. After three rounds of folding and resting, the dough should have risen and nearly doubled in size.
  3. Shape the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface, sprinkling a little flour over the sticky dough to help with handling. Shape the dough gently into a rectangle by pulling dough from underneath without pressing it to preserve the air holes. Roll the rectangle into a log and press the edge to seal. Divide the log into 4-5 equal parts and place them at least two inches apart on a well-floured surface. Let the dough rest and proof for about 40 minutes.
  4. Bake the Ciabatta Rolls: Preheat your oven to 420°F (215°C). Place a baking pan filled with water at the bottom of the oven to generate steam. Transfer the shaped rolls carefully onto a parchment-lined 8×12-inch baking tray, dusting lightly with flour if needed. Once the oven is steamy and preheated, spray water over the dough immediately and slide the baking tray in. Bake for 20 minutes until the rolls have a golden crust.
  5. Cool and Serve: Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Test doneness by tapping the bottom of a roll; it should sound hollow indicating it is fully baked and done.

Notes

  • Use room temperature water to help activate the yeast effectively.
  • The dough will be very sticky due to high hydration; flour your hands and work surface lightly to prevent sticking.
  • Stretch and folds develop gluten structure without kneading, essential for ciabatta’s airy texture.
  • Steam in the oven is critical to achieve a crisp crust and proper oven spring.
  • Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for best texture and crumb.

Keywords: ciabatta rolls, small batch bread, easy ciabatta, Italian bread, homemade rolls, stretch and fold bread

Find it online: https://annakocht.com/easy-small-batch-ciabatta-rolls-recipe/