Instructions: Make the sponge the night before or at least 4 hours ahead:

Mix the sponge ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Cover and allow to rest overnight at room temperature.

Dough:
Place the sponge and the remaining ingredients in either a food processor fitted with the plastic blade, an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook or a bread machine programmed for DOUGH CYCLE. Food processor: Process for an additional 45 seconds after the flour is absorbed. Rest 10 minutes, then process an additional 30 seconds. Allow to rise in the food processor until doubled in bulk. Mixer: mix on low speed for 2 minutes, then mix on medium speed for 2 more minutes.

The dough should be very sticky, full of air bubbles and extremely elastic. Line a heavy duty baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle it lightly with corn meal. Pour and scrape the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface.

Use a dough scraper to cut it in half. Gently stretch each half into a rougher rectangle about 1/2" thick. Dimple the surface with your fingertips.

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 400 with the rack in the center position. Bake the Ciabatta for about 20 minutes, or until they just start to brown. For a crisper crust, spray the loaves 2-3 times during baking. Cool on racks before eating.

NOTES : The dough for this rustic, flat, slipper shaped loaf from Italys lake district is custom made for machine mixing - especially the bread machine. So slack and wet its more like a batter than a dough, it yields a chewy interior punctuated with large, irregularly shaped holes. Dont be tempted to add more flour - this dough isnt suppose to form a ball.

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