A food content creator has inspired home cooks to abandon supermarket bread with a simple four-ingredient ciabatta recipe that promises superior taste, health benefits, and cost savings. The recipe, shared by TikTok creator Jerome, known as Jerome Cooks Food, requires only flour, water, salt, and yeast – pantry staples that are likely already in your kitchen.
Why Homemade Bread Is Better
Jerome criticizes supermarket bread for being laden with non-nutritional additives like emulsifiers, preservatives, and dough conditioners. “These add nothing to the taste but can potentially damage your gut,” he said in a recent video. In contrast, homemade bread uses simple ingredients, resulting in a healthier and more flavorful product.
The No-Knead Ciabatta Recipe
The recipe is designed for minimal effort, requiring only a few minutes of active work. The dough is mixed into a wet, shaggy consistency and then left to prove with periodic folds. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients (Makes 6-8 Rolls)
- 400ml lukewarm water (about 40°C/100°F)
- 2 tsp (7g) fast action/instant yeast
- 450g strong white bread flour
- 1.5 tsp (8g) salt
Method
- Combine water, yeast, and salt in a bowl and mix together.
- Add flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour.
- Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then stretch and fold the dough. Repeat this two more times (three folds total).
- After the final fold, rest for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 220°C (fan). Carefully turn dough onto a well-floured, lined baking sheet.
- Gently stretch dough from the center to an even thickness, then divide into 6 or 8 rolls.
- Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- Five minutes before baking, place a dish half-filled with boiling water on the lowest oven shelf to create steam.
- Place rolls on the middle shelf and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Tips for Success
Using lukewarm water is crucial – too hot will kill the yeast. The steam from the water dish ensures a crispy crust. Jerome emphasizes that this recipe is “real food, real fast.”
The video has garnered over 5,000 views and positive comments, with viewers sharing their own bread-making experiments. One commenter said, “Thank you so much for this, I’m having a go at making flatbreads.” Another noted success with an air fryer.
With just four ingredients and minimal active time, this ciabatta recipe offers a delicious, healthy alternative to store-bought bread. Try it once, and you may never go back.
