USING MY LOAF…

Fig Walnut and Olive Ciabatta

I have been planning this loaf for a while, had a fail and this is the new and improved version. It is in fact a ciabatta loaf with the optional addition of toasted walnuts, Kalamata olives and dried figs. Similar to Turkish bread, Ciabatta requires a sponge starter, which of course always adds extra flavour, the lazy baker’s sourdough flavour without all the work! With a little forethought, you can be buttering some of this in the next 24 hours!

NEED:

Sponge:

100g warm water

180g bakers flour

1/2 tsp dried yeast

Loaf:

40g milk

1/2 tsp dried yeast

150g warm water

20g EVOO

320g bakers flour

2 tsp sea salt

100g dried Turkish figs

100g toasted walnuts

100g pitted Kalamata olives

DO:

Make sponge by placing water and yeast into Thermomix bowl and mixing for 2 minutes at 37°C on speed soft.

Add flour and knead for 2 minutes at Interval speed. Place into small bowl, cover tightly with plastic and leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours.

To make bread;

Place milk, yeast, warm water and EVOO into Thermomix bowl and warm for 1.5 minutes at 37°C on speed soft.

Add sponge, flour and salt and knead for 4 minutes at Interval speed.

Place into oiled bowl or wrap in Silpat mat and allow to prove for at least 2 hours or until doubled. (This will very much vary on room temperature, I had the luxury of time plus a cold day today and I left it for around 4 hours before finishing the loaf.)

To finish the loaf, heat a pizza stone in the oven on a bread baking setting at 220°C.

Place figs into Thermomix and chop for 1 second on speed 5. Add olives and walnuts and return the dough to the Thermomix bowl. Knead for 1-2 minutes on Interval speed or until extras are combined. Turn dough out onto oiled baking paper and form into a loose slipper shape (or shape of choice). Place into Varoma dish and set aside.

Place 1L of water into Thermomix bowl and heat for 10 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2. Set Varoma into position and steam bread (on baking paper) for 10 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.

Transfer loaf, still on the paper to pizza stone and bake for 40-45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack. (Spray with water sprayer for a crustier crust.)

Naturally this can be cooked to perfection in your Combi Steam Oven. Choose to steam for 10 minutes of the cooking time and then complete on dry baking for the remaining 30-35 minutes.