I don't expect ciabatta to rise much. My loaves have a rather firm "skin" that holds the large bubbles inside and it firms up even more as the oven heat hits it. I don't think about it, because it is pretty much automatic. I pinch large bubbles that work their way to the surface as I am shaping the loaves for the oven.
I want them trapped inside and not blowing out through the crust.
I form my loaves so they are WIDER and flatter than a "batard" with blunt ends.
In fact, I "shape" them crosswise on one of my utility trays on which I have a sheet of parchment.
I use a rolling pin to widen them and press the ends against either side so they are a rectangular shape.
I let them rise a bit and then into the oven with some ice cube in the cast iron pan on the bottom of the oven.
I use a peel to slide the parchment onto the oven rack. I rarely use the baking stone or a pan,
The dough for ciabatta is sturdy enough that it holds its shape on the parchment.
The loaves are 14 inches long and about 7-8 inches wide and probably 2 inches high with maybe another half inch in the middle.
