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1
Sprinkle the yeast on top of the 1 3/4 ounces of hot water to let it dissolve, and set aside.
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2
Sprinkle the salt on top of the flour and stir to incorporate.
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3
Make a well in the center of the flour salt mixture, and add the cool water little by little.
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4
After the yeast has dissolved into the warm water, add it to the mixture, stir to incorporate, then stop and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.
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5
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and write the time with permanent marker on the top.
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6
After 30 minutes, sprinkle flour on your work surface, then scrape the dough out onto it.
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7
Tap your hands in a little flour, then gently flatten the dough into a rectangle, with the short side facing you.
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8
Using a bench scraper, flip the top edge down to just below the center, then flip the bottom side up above the center.
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9
Do the same with each side, then turn dough over and dust off the flour.
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10
Place the folded dough in a a bowl slicked with vegetable oil and let it sit for 30 minutes, again, covered with plastic wrap with the time written on it.
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11
Fold the dough again, using the same method as above.
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12
Place the dough in a second oiled bowl, covered with plastic, and let it ferment until it has doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
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13
As the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 475 degrees, and put a baking stone on the middle rack, and an empty pan (for water) on the bottom rack.
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14
After the dough has doubled in volume, sprinkle a little more flour onto your workspace.
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15
Then, sprinkle a lot of flour onto the back of a baking sheet.
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16
Scrape the dough out onto the counter, tap your hands in flour, and gently flatten the dough into a large, even rectangle of approximately 12 x 8 x 1 high.
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17
Use a bench scraper or a knife to cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, approximately 3 wide and 8 long.
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18
Fold each piece, top-down to center, then bottom-up to above-center, in the same way you folded the dough in step 3.
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19
Place each folded piece seam-side down on the floured baking sheet.
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20
Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 to 60 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in volume.
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21
Sprinkle more flour on the counter.
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22
Take one ciabatta piece at a time and stretch it very gently to lengthen.
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23
Turn it upside-down and place back onto the back of the floured sheet tray.
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24
After all of the pieces have been stretched, sprinkle 4 tablespoons of a mixture of half cornmeal and half flour on the baking stone.
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25
Shuttle the ciabatta pieces off the sheet tray and onto the stone.
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26
To shuttle, first gently move the sheet tray back and forth to loosen the dough, then, as the pan is held above the baking stone, a quick shake up and down should help slide the dough onto the actual stone.
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27
(If you prefer, you can pick up and balance the piece of dough with two hands or even try to move it with the help of a spatula; you just want to get the loaves onto the stone.)
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28
Pour water into the pan on the bottom rack in order to make steam; you can also spritz the loaves with water.
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29
Avert your face as you pour the water and quickly close the oven door.
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30
The dough should bake to a very dark brown in approximately 30 minutes.
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31
Let the bread cool before cutting into it.
