italian suitcase: 50:50 homemade ciabatta

Wholemeal or not wholemeal, this is an open debate in our house... sometimes I compromise with white flour, sometimes I do and then add rye&spelt, sometimes 50:50 is the right balance!

Ingredients:
200g 100% wholemeal flour
200g 00 white flour (this light flour balances the hardness of the wholemeal)
7g original dry yeast
350ml cold water
7g salt
semolina for dusting

Preparation:
Mix the wholemeal flour with 200g water and 4g yeast. Let it rest at room temperature covered with a clean cotton towel for 6-7 hours. Once this fermented sponge is ready, add the remaining ingredients being careful not that salt and yeast don't directly touch each other.
Work in the mixer with a dough hook for 25-30 minutes at the lowest settings or until the dough will be very compact and form a ball that move around the mixer bowl easily.

Place the dough in a heavily oiled bowl, cover with cling film and let it rest until the mix will reach the film, 3-4 hours.

Dust a work surface heavily with semolina and flour; oil and dust a non sticky baking tray too. Very gently tip the dough onto the dusted surface and cut it into 2 equal parts with a wet knife keeping as much air as possible in the dough. Make a couple of gentle folds to get the ciabatta shape. Carefully lift the ciabatta onto the baking tray. Dust the tops and cover with a clean cotton towel.
Let it rest for another 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven at 220˚ and when the oven is at temperature bake the loaves for 30 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool (dad always says we shouldn't eat hot bread as it's no good for the stomach!)