Best Biga Recipes

BIGA

Steps:

• Place the warm water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let stand until yeast has dissolved and is foamy, about 15 minutes.
• Measure flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture and cold water. Use a sturdy spoon to mix it together until sticky and difficult to stir, but nevertheless thoroughly combined. Cover and allow to ferment for 24 hours in the refrigerator before using.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To use, rinse a measuring cup in cool water, scoop out the amount of starter needed, and bring to room temperature.

BIGA

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast onto the 1/4 cup warm water and let stand approximately 10 minutes until creamy.
• Add rest of water, stir.
• Add flour, one cup at a time and stir.
• Mix with wooden spoon for approximately.
• 4 minutes.
• Oil a bowl three times as large as the mixture's volume and scrape dough into that bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 8-24 hours in a cool room or until triple in volume.
• The longer it sits, the more character it develops.
• If you let it go too long, it will take on sour overtones similar to sourdough starter as a result of the acidic by-products of yeast metabolism.
• If the room is cool enough--60-65 deg.
• F, 24 hours will yield a nice, mellow-flavored biga.
• You only need your first biga to get started.
• Then it is simply a matter of making bread at least once a week or so if you have refrigeration to keep the biga alive.
• If you don't have refrigeration, you would want to make bread every day and save a portion of the new dough you make each day as a starter for tomorrow's bread.
• Just take that portion BEFORE you add salt to the new bread dough.
• In this case, you would keep tomorrow's starter at room temperature.
• Use as you would a sourdough starter.
• For a rough guide, use approximately one cup of biga for a bread recipe calling for 7-8 cups of flour.

BIGA

Steps:

• Stir together the flour and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the water, stirring until everything comes together and makes a coarse ball (or mix on low speed for 1 minute with the paddle attachment). Adjust the flour or water, according to need, so that the dough is neither too sticky nor too stiff. (It is better to err on the sticky side, as you can adjust easier during kneading. It is harder to add water once the dough firms up.)
• Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for 4 to 6 minutes (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook for 4 minutes), or until the dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. The internal temperature should be 77° to 81°F.
• Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, or until it nearly doubles in size.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to degas, and return it to the bowl, covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.
• Commentary
• Biga will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months. You can use it as soon as it ferments, but just as for poolish and pâte fermentée, I prefer to give it an overnight retarding to bring out more flavor
• In Italy nearly every pre-ferment, including wild yeast or sourdough, is called a biga. So if you are making a recipe from another source that calls for biga, make sure you check to see exactly what kind of biga it requires. In this book, biga refers to the particular ratio of ingredients listed here.
• You can substitute all-purpose flour for the bread flour if you prefer, or blend all-purpose and bread flour as in pâte fermentée.
• BAKER'S PERCENTAGE FORMULA
• Biga %
• Bread flour: 100%
• Instant yeast: .49%
• Water: 66.7%
• Total 167.2%

BREAD STARTED FROM A "BIGA"

Steps:

• 1. 10-12 hours before you intend to make the bread (longer if the room is cold), start the biga by stirring together the first four ingredients in a large bread bowl.
• 2. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the biga to sit at room temperature for 10-12 hours. It will double in size and be full of holes, looking similar to the raw side of a pancake ready to be flipped.
• 3. Stir 3 cups of flour and the second cup of water into the biga until a raggy mass develops. Flop this onto a well floured counter and knead (push and fold) about 100 strokes, add flour as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands and the counter. Try to add as little flour as possible. Too dry a dough results in heavy bread.
• 4. Form the dough into a ball. Put 1 tablespoon of oil into the bread bowl and roll the ball of dough in it to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and put someplace warm and still to rise. An oven with the light on is a good rising environment. Allow to rise about 2 hours until doubled in size.
• 5. Punch the dough down, knead briefly and form into one large loaf, two small loafs, or rolls. The pictured loaves were made in a French bread pan lined with parchment paper.
• 6. Allow the formed loaves to rise another hour or until doubled in size.
• 7. Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the risen loaves with the other tablespoon of olive oil. Bake about one hour. Longer for a large load, less time for rolls. As ovens differ, you will want to check the bread for doneness by rapping it on the bottom with your knuckle. It should sound hollow. If it thuds, cook ten more minutes and check again.

100% WHOLE GRAIN BREAD WITH BIGA/SOAKER

Steps:

• .Mix the biga ingredients, cover and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Then, refrigerate for 3 to 18 hours.
• Mix the soaker, cover and rest for 4 to 19 hours.
• To make the bread, warm the biga at room temperature or in low heat (
• Spread the biga on a floured counter and layer the soaker over that. Cut dough into 12 pieces and add to mixing bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix and knead for 7 - 8 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes and knead for 1 to 2 more minutes until a moderate windowpane is achieved.
• Do a stretch and fold. On a lightly floured counter, stretch the dough into a rectangle and fold it like a letter going into an envelope. Turn 90 deg and fold again. Invert and place in an oiled bowl or straight sided clear container.
• Rest for 20 minutes and do another stretch and fold and return to container.
• After the dough has risen to one and a half times it's original volume (30 to 45 more minutes), turn out onto a floured counter.
• Shape into loaves and pan. Let rise, covered with oiled plastic, for 45 minutes or so or until loaves are risen to 150% of their volume.
• Bake in preheated 375F oven until 190-200F internally, about 35-40 minutes. Cool on rack before slicing.

ITALIAN BIGA - STARTER RECIPE - (4.3/5)

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, 1 cup at a time. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes. If mixing with a stand mixer, beat with the paddle at the lowest speed for 2 minutes. If mixing with a food processor, mix just until a sticky dough forms. Transfer the biga to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at a cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours. When ready, the starter will be triple its original volume and still be wet and sticky. (The bakers I admire most advise 10 to 11 hours for the first rise, but others are very happy with the 24 hours it takes for dough to truly become yesterday's dough. If you like sour bread, allow your biga to rest for 24 to 48 hours, or you might even stretch it to 72 hours.) Cover and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. (If refrigerating the biga, use within 5 days. If freezing the biga, let it rest at room temperature for about 3 hours until it is bubbly and active again.) When needed, scoop out the desired amount of biga for your recipe and proceed.

BIGA RECIPES ON THE NET

Steps:

• La biga veloce (quick biga): 1 part water, 8-10% yeast, and 1.8 parts flour relative to the weight of the water. Shape the dough into a ring and soak it in lukewarm water for 20-30 minutes. Turn the ring upside-down for approximately 15 minutes. When it floats, it is ready. This is an ideal biga for a rich dough. La pouliche (poolish): 1 part water, 5% yeast, and 1 part flour relative to the weight of the water. The ambient temperature should be about 77 F ( 25 C). The biga matures in 2 hours. The degree of maturity is judged by the intensity of the bubbles that are formed on the surface. This biga is ideal for products that are characteriazed by a thin, crisp crust, elastic crumb and good cell structure. La biga corta (short biga): 1 part water, 3-5% yeast, and 1.8-1.9 parts flour relative to the weight of the water The duration of the fermentation is approximately 3 hours at an ambient temperature of about 77 F (25 C). La biga lunga (long biga): 1 part water, 1-1,2% yeast, and 1.9-2.1 parts flour relative to the weight of the water The duration of the fermentation is from 8 to 14 hours. Depending upon the ambient temperature, the fermentation can last for 18 hours at 42.8 F (6 C).

SOURDOUGH BIGA FOR ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In medium bowl pour starter and warm water, mix until smooth. Add flour and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes, it will be quite stiff.
• Oil a large, deep bowl, scrape biga into it, cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 12 - 18 hours, it will likely rise up and then fall back in on itself.
• Use as directed for the biga in your favorite Italian bread recipe or in the Chewy Italian Bread recipe #176167.

BIGA ON THE BANKS CORNBREAD

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. 2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. 3. Combine buttermilk, oil and eggs in a bowl and whisk to combine well. 4. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined. 6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place on the middle rack in the oven. 7. Bake for 45 minutes, or up to 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

ITALIAN BIGA RECIPE

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir the remaining water into the creamy yeast mixture, and then stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon for 3 to 4 minutes. If mixing with a stand mixer, beat with the paddle at the lowest speed for 2 minutes. If mixing with a food processor, mix just until a sticky dough forms.
• Transfer the biga to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours, until the starter is triple its original volume but is still wet and sticky. (The bakers I admire most advise 10 to 11 hours for the first rise, but others are very happy with the 24 hours it takes for dough to truly become yesterday's dough, and if you like sour bread, allow your biga to rest for 24 to 48 hours or even 72 hours.)
• Cover and refrigerate or freeze the biga until ready to use. (If refrigerating the biga, use within 5 days. If freezing the biga, let it rest at room temperature for about 3 hours until it is bubbly and active again.) When needed, scoop out the desired amount of biga for your recipe and proceed. I strongly recommend weighing the biga rather than measuring it by volume since it expands at room temperature. If measuring by volume, measure chilled biga; if measuring by weight, the biga may be chilled or at room temperature.