Revised 18 October 2026; first published 2025-06-04. Original byline and URL retained.
The published ciabatta method assigns time to several different tasks. The poolish ferments for 12–18 hours; the main dough receives three folds at roughly 45-minute intervals; the divided pieces rest before shaping, then proof before the bake. These are stages with different purposes, not one undifferentiated wait.
Time is a useful instruction only when read alongside conditions. Temperature affects fermentation; flour affects absorption and strength; dough development determines when a scheduled step is appropriate. The baker’s attention continues between interventions: observe the poolish, assess the dough, and record how the loaf responds.
That is the practical meaning of waiting in a bake. Give each stage the time specified in the formula, then learn from the material in front of you. The full sequence appears in the published recipe.