Description
This delicious gluten-free ciabatta has the airy, open-crumbed texture of traditional Italian ciabatta bread, just without gluten or dairy! Perfect for toasting and making sandwiches, you’ll want to batch a fresh batch (or two) and freeze to enjoy homemade bread anytime!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons whole psyllium husks
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (between 105 to 115F)
- 1 cup millet flour, plus more for flouring the work surface
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour
- 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare Psyllium Gel: Add the whole psyllium husks to the lukewarm water and stir using a fork until the psyllium is mixed in, set aside to allow the gel to form while combining the dry ingredients.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a bowl of a stand mixer, add millet flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add Psyllium Gel, Olive Oil & Apple Cider Vinegar: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the psyllium gel, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough until it pulls away from the sides. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically with a spatula to ensure everything is mixed in. The dough will be slightly sticky but smooth.
- Shape Dough into Ball: Transfer the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough using your hands a couple more times then shape into a ball.
- Roll Dough to Even Thickness: Using a rolling pin dusted with millet flour, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 10 inches long and 8 inches in width. The dough should be about ½ inch in thickness.
- Cut into Rectangles: Cut the dough into 6 rectangles and place onto parchment paper spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Lightly sprinkle extra millet flour on top of each dough rectangle, making sure to flour them generously.
- Let Dough Rise: Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour until they are doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: After 45 minutes of rising, set a large heavy duty baking sheet into the oven on the middle lower rack. Place a small metal baking tray or small cast iron skillet on the bottom rack then preheat the oven to 475F. The bottom tray or skillet will be used for ice cubes to create steam while baking.
- Bake Ciabatta Rolls: When the dough has doubled in size and the oven is fully preheated, place 5 ice cubes into the bottom baking tray then place the sheet pan with the dough pieces on the middle rack of the oven.  Adjust the oven temperature to 425F immediately and bake the ciabatta buns for 10 minutes with steam. Do not open the door during this time.
- Remove Bottom Tray & Bake Some More: After 10 minutes, remove the bottom tray with water, allow the steam to escape and continue baking for 15 more minutes without steam.
- Cool Before Serving: Remove the ciabatta buns from the oven once they’re golden brown and allow them to cool on a wire rack to room temperature before cutting and serving.
Notes
Psyllium Husk: I used whole psyllium husks to create the psyllium gel but if you only have psyllium husk powder, you can use 1 1/2 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder instead.
Water: It’s best to use warm water between 105F to 115F (as the warmth is required to activate the yeast).
Millet Flour: I recommend not substituting millet flour for anything else as it’s the main flour here. (You can either use store-bought millet flour or grind your own millet flour).
Tapioca Starch: I used tapioca starch to add binding power, but if you don’t have tapioca starch, you can use arrowroot starch in equal quantities as well.
Sorghum Flour: If you wish, you may substitute sorghum flour with brown rice flour or buckwheat flour.
Yeast: I recommend using instant dry yeast as it doesn’t required any pre-activation period, and can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients.
Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for flavor, but feel free to use other types of vegetable oil if you prefer.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds tang to the flavor of the dough, but also creates a more favorable environment for the yeast to create a good rise. So I recommend that you add it in.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Rising Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
