This is perhaps the best write up I have seen on stretch and fold; when to, when not to, how to, etc. It also explains the “why”.
The best source for videos demonstrations of the various kneading techniques is here on Breadtopia. Not sure how to find them, again.
I make this recipe a couple times a week but this time I was surprised that the slippers came out flat and pock marked. Is this what happens when the kitchen is so warm on a hot day, over 80 in the kitchen, that I shouldn’t have let the dough rise for a full four hours, then a full hour as slippers?
Sounds like you’ve diagnosed the issue: over-fermentation in hot weather. Hopefully the ciabattas were still tasty 
I have been making this recipe once a week or more for a couple of years because right rom the start I got spectacular results. But lately, I’m not getting enough rise from my starter. It is very slow. I made some very flat and dense batches waiting 4 hours but not getting anywhere close to doubled in volume. For the last month, I’ve adding dry yeast to the starter, and lately, dry yeast to the first mix. The starer looks normal, hasn’t turned brown, or separated, or stinky. I made a batch Friday, but had to wait about 12 hours to get close to doubled in volume, got slightly dense loafs, flattened not circular in cross section, but still great tasting. It’s not cooler ambient temperatures because I have a proofing oven. I would have thought that I would get more rise out of the added yeast alone.
Nice! Those ciabattas look tasty. I’m so glad the recipe worked for you.
Ohhh so delicious!
Can I use my oblong clay baker rather than a linen couche?
The floured linen couche or floured tea towels are for the proofing portion of the process, holding the dough in channels so it doesn’t spread during the second rise.
If you don’t have a pizza stone, steel, or baking sheet, you could bake the dough in an enclosed baking vessel. A flat shape like the Hearth Baker would hold 1-2 ciabattas depending on size and arrangement.
And really you can do what you want 
I have made pizza dough into a batard and sandwich bread dough into pizzas. So you can feel free to shape this dough for the oblong baker, proof it in an oblong basket, and bake it. Viola, a high hydration oblong loaf.
This dough is going to expand a lot, so I wouldn’t put more than 1kg dough in the oblong baker.
Thanks Melissa - I should have paid more attention to the directions. Obviously, one would not use the linen couche for baking- duh. And I do have a pizza stone and a large cast iron frying pan for water. So I will use the stone.
You’re welcome! Btw, you’re not the first person to suggest baking in the linen couche : )
Since I only have 100% whole wheat levain, I used that in this recipe along with a mix of all purpose flour and vital wheat gluten (didn’t have any bread flour). The loaves came out spectacolo! I need to work on the shaping process! They cooked much faster than the recipe calls for. They were done soon after I lowered the temperature to 450°.
Those ciabattas look great! I feel like my shaping of the slippers always has room for improvement too #rustic 
So I made another batch today (the first batch was very well received and devoured quickly) and once again the loaves were at or near 105° after the first 10 minutes. I guess my steam oven is hotter! I will try a lower starting temperature next time. I did have some success shaping. I used my bench cutter to shape the dough, driving the blade under the sides and stretching and tucking to get more even loaves. I also tried smaller loaves this time for sandwiches. Came out pretty good looking.
Those looks great, and what you suggest about temp makes sense to me. The steam in my system is coming from a cup of water I’m pouring into the oven, and I bet it lowers my oven temp a bit. I aim for a fairly dark ciabatta too, so I’m guessing the internal temp on mine is more like 210F.
