Bread question: I made some Kick @$$ sourdough ciabatta nad attempting it again but>>>

Looks good to me! Perhaps the bottom of the loaf gets hotter faster and the yeast dies off sooner...

in the lower half, but more likely those holes were created while the bread was rising. If you let the dough rise once in a bowl, then just turned it out onto a baking sheet without shaping it, then the yeast didn't get distributed very well. Usually rolling dough into a loaf shape will do the trick, but the charm of ciabatta is that it is just dumped out freeform.

Try this: once you see that the dough has started to rise, after an hour or so, turn it out on your work surface, pat it out, and fold it in thirds. Pat it out again and fold it again. Put it back in the bowl to rise all the way. This redistributes the yeast and makes for a stronger rise. You don't really lose a whole hour because it bounces right back.

 
Not sure I quite get this as I did let it do the first rise in the bowl. Flopped it out on the >>

counter, divided it without degassing too much. Gently patted it into two shapeless-shapes. Put each on a floured Silpat (used like a couche), covered, let rise again, then used a flip-board and placed it on cornmeal dusted Silpat lined roll pan. Covered then let it rest up 10 minutes or so. Did not slash. Placed in hot oven, sprayed oven interior with water. Baked 20-25 minutes. I did notice that it had quite the Oven Spring. Mostly the top sprung as seen from the photo.

 
Louisa, if I understand Joe correctly, on the second rise, you fold it like croissant dough

In an envelope fashion, then fold it again. Helps redistribute the gas. (Is that right Joe).

Heard an interesting comment about yeast. My friend teaches kids cooking classes and calls the process of yeast releasing gas...like farting. smileys/smile.gif

 
So you mean after the first rise, before the second, do the folds like laminated doughs?

I think I let it rise the second time right in the pan. I was confusing it with the baguettes that I let rise on the second time in a couche.
They are on the pan now and I gently sort of folded it once.

 
Yes, like a business letter, twice, or like croissant dough, but not as exact. .

So the dough will rise twice in a bowl, then once on the pan. But like I said, the first rise is really short--just enough to see that it's growing. You could also knead it briefly but the folding is easier.

It's not essential, but it does spread the yeast out more evenly and gives it a boost.

 
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