Sourdough Ciabatta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
6 -8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Preparation

In a large bowl mix together the water, milk, olive oil, and starter.
Mix the yeast and salt into the flour.
Stir 6 cups of flour into the liquid mixture, a cup at a time, until you have a dough the consistency of drop-cookie batter.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and satiny.
The dough should be on the slack side, but not oozy; it needs to be able to hold its shape in the oven.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
Place the bowl in a warm spot and let the dough rise, undisturbed, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough gently and divide it into three pieces.
Form the loaves into torpedo shapes, and place the loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets.
With a serrated knife or lame, make three slashes in the tops of the loaves, each 1/2-inch deep.
Cover with a damp towel.
Let the loaves rise until they look puffy.
This should take approximately 30 minutes. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 425\u00b0F.
Brush or spray the loaves with water; a plant mister is good for this job.
Bake for 10 minutes, spraying the loaves with water two more times.
Lower the oven to 375\u00b0F and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until golden brown.