Easy Pumpkin Ciabatta Bread

Bread, bread, bread. Need I say more?

I am a fan of things that are easy and also relatively quick to make. Bread is usually pretty easy but it has to rise for like 8 hours, and who has time for that? Not this girl. This recipe calls for sugar, which a lot of traditional ciabatta recipes don’t have. Many of the ciabatta recipes that I have used in the past do not have sugar, and usually take about 4-6 hours to rise depending on how drafty your house is. I’m pretty excited about this recipe since the sugar addition shortens the rise time to an hour and a half which means you can have delicious bread in less than 3 hours. This week I’ll be munchin’ on this loaf paired with one of my favorites, butternut squash soup.

I have been buying a lot of artisan breads to go with all the soups I have been making now that it’s starting to cool down. And, in the spirit of fall, pumpkin decided to join in on this party. I know that pumpkin has been popping up a lot lately now that the holidays are here, but the pumpkin in this bread is still very savory. The flavor is subtle in a way that will not distract from whatever dish you are serving it with. Or, you know – just slap some butter or PB on there and eat it as is. I wouldn’t be surprised if this loaf only lasts a few days! Luckily, the recipe makes two medium sized loaves.

Back to this whole pumpkin thing, I find the amount of pumpkin flavored things at the grocery store a tad overwhelming. I love pumpkin, but I don’t really want to eat pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin peanut butter, pumpkin creamer, pumpkin…. ice cream!? Oh, that sounds like a great idea. More on that later though – I tend to take pumpkin puree and add it to some of my favorite foods to give it a lighter taste than the nutmeg overload I experience in a lot of products. This recipe is a standard ciabatta with pumpkin puree and adjusted flour to account for the additional moisture.

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Easy Pumpkin Ciabatta Bread

Servings: 2 medium sized loaves

Time: 3 hours

 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 package dry active yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar

 

Directions:

1. Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. Allow yeast to proof for about 10 minutes. You should start to see some small bubbles forming.
2. Place yeast mixture, flour, salt, and pumpkin puree in a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Use a spatula to combine the mixture and allow to sit for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Mix the dough on medium high speed for 12-15 minutes. The dough should still be sticky at this point but pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Grease a medium sized bowl with olive oil. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with a dish cloth.
5. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place. I use the inside of the oven with the light on since it’s a little chilly in my house (thanks, Minnesota).
6. After the dough has doubled, remove the dough from the bowl and place on a “somewhat heavily” floured baking sheet. It is recommended to use a silicone pad as well.
7. Preheat oven to 500 deg F at this point in time. You will also want to place an empty baking sheet (with edges) on the lower rack while the oven is warming.
8. Split the dough into two equal sized portions and begin to form two log like shapes. Shape the dough, tucking the ends under the edges of the loaf.
9. Dust flour over the top of the logs. You may also sprinkle herbs or pumpkin seeds on top and lightly pat into the dough. I did this on one loaf with pumpkin seeds. Be sure to use raw or salted seeds that do not have any additional coating as it will burn in the oven.
10. Once the oven is fully preheated, place the bread on the upper rack. At this point in time you may also pour a cup of water in the lower pan. Be careful as it will start to steam immediately.
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the loaves begin to brown.
12. Cool thoroughly on a rack, be sure to wait at least 15 minutes before slicing if serving warm.