Bread Machine Ciabatta Bread

Ingredients:
For sponge -
1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 T. warm water (100 degrees)
1/3 cup warm water
1 cup bread flour

For bread -
1/2 T. active dry yeast
2 T. warm milk
2/3 cup warm water
1 T. olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tea. salt

Directions:
To make sponge -
1. In a small bowl, stir together 1/8 tea. of the yeast and the 2 T. warm water; let stand 5 minutes or until creamy.
2. In a bowl, stir together yeast mixture, 1/3 cup of warm water, and 1 cup of bread flour; stir 4 minutes.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.

To make bread (in a bread machine) -
1. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 T. yeast and 2 T. warm milk; let stand 5 minutes or until creamy.
2. Put ingredients in bread machine in the following order (or that recommended by manufacturer): 2/3 cup warm water, oil, yeast mixture, sponge, bread flour, salt.
3. Select "dough cycle" and start bread machine.
4. When the dough cycle is complete, turn dough out on well-flour work surface and lightly make into 6 to 8 squares, rectangles, tear-drops, whatever and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Cover loaves with dampened kitchen towel and let raise 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until almost doubled in bulk.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
7. Cook mini loaves in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until light brown.
8. Cool loaves on wire rack.

(Can also make 2 larger loaves by just cutting the dough in half, if desired.)