Recently, I found a Brazillian baker named Marcos de Carvalho, making a ciabatta with 65-percent whole wheat and a hydration of 80 percent. Compared to what we do in United States, that formula proportion is low, given our hydration heroes pushing the envelope to ninety and beyond. Marco explained that the flour in Brazil wouldn’t take more water than the 80 percent point.

I gave it a shot. With Marco’s basic guidance and intuition, I ended up with a chewy and delicious bread. I really enjoyed the healthier addition of whole wheat.