Two traditional breads in Italian cuisine are relatively easy to make, despite being a bit time-consuming, and are accessible to beginner bakers: the delicious ciabatta and focaccia.
We will provide two very basic and detailed recipes here so that you can make your first Italian breads. After making the first ones, you’ll want to enhance them, so we’re also going to give you some perfect accompaniment tips.
Easy Italian Ciabatta
Ingredients:
- 500g of all-purpose flour
- 10g of dry yeast
- 375ml of warm water
- 10ml of olive oil
- 10g of salt
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
- In another small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and add the olive oil.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the liquid mixture.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough.
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 18 hours at room temperature.
- After resting, pour the dough onto a well-floured surface.
- Fold the dough over itself a few times, forming a rectangle.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts.
- Place the breads on a floured baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let them rest for another 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F).
- Bake the breads for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let cool before serving.
Preparation time: 20 hours (including resting time)
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Tips:
- Ciabatta dough is quite moist. Do not add more flour to “fix” this; it’s normal!
- For a crunchier crust, place a baking sheet with water at the bottom of the oven during baking.
Easy Italian Focaccia
Ingredients:
- 500g of all-purpose flour
- 7g of dry yeast
- 300ml of warm water
- 60ml of olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)
- 10g of salt
- Olives, cherry tomatoes, and onion for decoration
- Dried herbs (rosemary, oregano) to taste
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.
- In another bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.
- Add the water and yeast mixture to the flour, along with 30ml of olive oil.
- Mix until it forms a homogeneous dough.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rest for 1 hour.
- Grease a rectangular baking sheet with olive oil.
- Spread the dough on the baking sheet, pressing with your fingers to create small cavities.
- Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Drizzle the dough with the remaining olive oil and press your fingers again to reinforce the cavities.
- Decorate with sliced olives, halved cherry tomatoes, and thin onion rings.
- Sprinkle with dried herbs and a bit of coarse salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Preparation time: 2 hours (including resting time)
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Tips:
- You can vary the topping ingredients according to your preference.
- For a more moist focaccia, drizzle with a mixture of olive oil and water before baking.
Both recipes are relatively simple and perfect for beginners. Remember that practice makes perfect, so don’t worry if the first loaves don’t turn out exactly as you imagined.
Recipe bonus: Spreads are perfect accompaniments for focaccia. Here are some delicious and easy-to-make suggestions using ingredients you likely have at home. Here are some options:
Spreads to accompany Focaccia
Olive paste (Tapenade)
Ingredients:
- 200g pitted black olives
- 2 tablespoons of capers (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
- Pulse until you get a coarse paste.
- Adjust seasoning as needed.
Tip: If it becomes too dry, gradually add more olive oil.
Ricotta with herbs spread
Ingredients:
- 250g of ricotta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, basil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Mash the ricotta with a fork.
- Mix all ingredients until smooth.
- Season to taste.
Tip: Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to enhance the flavors.
Sun-dried tomato hummus
Ingredients:
- 1 can of drained chickpeas
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and cumin to taste
Instructions:
- Blend all ingredients in a processor until smooth.
- Adjust the consistency with water if needed.
Tip: Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of paprika before serving.
Eggplant paste (Babaganoush)
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- Salt and cumin to taste
Instructions:
- Roast the whole eggplant in the oven at 200°C for about 40 minutes or until tender.
- Peel and mash the eggplant flesh.
- Mix with the other ingredients until smooth.
Tip: Add a little natural yogurt for a creamier texture.
Garlic and herb butter
Ingredients:
- 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, thyme)
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients until smooth.
- Wrap in plastic wrap to form a cylinder and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Tip: Great for spreading on warm focaccia!
These spreads are easy to make and perfectly complement your focaccia. You can prepare them in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Remember to take them out about 15 minutes before serving to bring them to room temperature.
To serve, you can place the spreads in small bowls around the focaccia for a nice and inviting presentation. Don’t forget to have some appropriate cutlery or knives for easy self-serving by your guests.
And to have a great experience with your first ciabatta, here are two sandwich suggestions for every taste, one with meat and another vegetarian. Share your experience after making them and let us know your favorite option.
Ciabatta sandwich with meat: roast beef and mustard
Ingredients (for 4 sandwiches):
- 1 large ciabatta bread, cut into 4 equal parts
- 400g thinly sliced roast beef
- 1 large red onion, finely sliced
- 100g fresh arugula
- 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cut each piece of ciabatta in half horizontally.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the Dijon mustard.
- Spread the mustard and mayonnaise mixture on both halves of the bread.
- In a skillet, lightly sauté the sliced red onion until soft and slightly caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the sandwich in the following order:
- Base of the ciabatta
- Generous layer of roast beef
- Caramelized red onion
- Fresh arugula
- Top of ciabatta
- Gently press the sandwich and cut diagonally to serve.
Tip: You can lightly warm the roast beef in the skillet before assembling the sandwich, if you prefer.
Vegetarian Ciabatta sandwich: grilled caprese
Ingredients (for 4 sandwiches):
- 1 large ciabatta bread, cut into 4 equal parts
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
- 250g buffalo mozzarella, sliced
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- 4 tablespoons basil pesto
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Balsamic vinegar to finish (optional)
Instructions:
- Cut each piece of ciabatta in half horizontally.
- Lightly brush the inner sides of the bread with olive oil.
- Spread the basil pesto on both halves of the bread.
- Assemble the sandwich in the following order:
- Base of the ciabatta
- Tomato slices
- Buffalo mozzarella slices
- Fresh basil leaves
- Top of ciabatta
- Season the tomatoes with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet or grill. Place the assembled sandwich and lightly press with a spatula. Grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is crispy.
- Remove from heat, cut diagonally, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and, if desired, a little balsamic vinegar.
Tip: For a vegan version, replace the mozzarella with grilled zucchini slices and use a vegan cheese that melts well.
Both sandwiches are great options to enjoy your homemade ciabatta. The roast beef sandwich offers a classic flavor combination with succulent meat and the spicy touch of mustard. The grilled Caprese sandwich brings the fresh and aromatic flavors of Italian cuisine.
Remember that you can adjust the quantities according to the size of your bread and your personal preferences. Try and enjoy creating your own variations!