Italian Biga Food

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CIABATTA BREAD

Steps:

• First make the biga, in a medium bowl combine the flour and yeast then add the water and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a cool dry area for 8-12 hours. If your house is on the warm side then place the biga in the fridge for 8-12 hours, remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 45-60 minutes.
• In the bowl of the stand up mixer whisk together the flour, yeast and salt, then add the water and biga. With the flat beaters mix until the mixture starts to come together for about 2-3 minutes. Then switch to the dough hook and knead for another 3 minutes. This is a soft sticky dough.
• With the help of a spatula place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm draft free area for about one hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Move the dough to floured flat surface, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and divide into two parts. Form each part into an oblong shape, place on parchment paper that is lightly sprinkled with flour, then lightly sprinkle the dough with flour. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Place a baking sheet (upside down) or a baking stone in the oven, and an empty oven proof cake pan on the bottom of the oven, then pre-heat the oven to 450F (230C)
• Before putting the dough in the oven add either a cup of boiling water or some ice cubes (about 8) in the cake pan, then quickly & carefully place the parchment paper and bread on the cookie sheet or baking stone and bake for approximately 20 minutes.Move the baked bread immediately to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

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.

RUSTIC BREAD FOR THE BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• Biga:.
• In a glass or plastic bowl,stir flour, yeast and water together with a wooden spoon until smooth.Cover with a cloth and let stand overnight.It will be kind of bubbly.
• Bread:.
• Stir together flours,sugar,salt,.
• and Vital Gluten; set aside.
• Pour starter in bread machine.
• Add water, honey, Barley Malt,butter and oil.
• Add the flour mixture.
• Make a groove in flour and add yeast.
• Set Bread machine to Dough cycle.
• Keep an eye on the machine as dough may reach the top before the end of the cycle;if this happens push it back down.
• At the end of this cycle, remove dough from machine and split it in 2.
• Shape your breads in free form or in bread pans.
• Preheat oven 400*.
• Cover breads and let them rise for 45 minutes.
• Score the loaves.
• Place in hot oven for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350* and bake another 30 minutes.
• Remove bread from pans and tap the bottom to make sure it is baked(hollow sound).If not, return bread in the oven (without the pan)for another 5 minutes.
• Tip:.
• If you do not have Barley Malt double the amount of honey.
• While the oven is preheating,I set a large pan on top of the stove and sit my breads on a cookie on this pan for the rising stage.It works all the time.

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.

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

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%

ULTIMATE RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• For the biga:.
• Combine the flour, yeast and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on the slowest speed (stir for a KitchenAid), until it forms a shaggy dough, about 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the biga to a medium bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until it begins to bubble and rise, about 3 hours.
• Refrigerate biga at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• For the dough:.
• Remove the biga from the refrigerator and let stand at room temp while making the dough.
• To make the dough, combine flour, yeast, and water in bowl of the standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead the dough on lowest speed until rough dough is formed, about 3 minutes.
• Turn the mixer off and, without removing the dough hook or bowl from the mixer, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. (This allows protein in the dough to relax, making for a stronger dough that can rise higher, with a better crust.).
• Remove the plastic wrap over the dough, and add the biga and salt to bowl. Continue to knead on the lowest speed until ingredients are incorporated (dough should clear the sides of the bowl but should stick to the very bottom), about 4 minutes.
• Increase the mixer speed to low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) and continue until the dough forms a more cohesive ball, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl (at least 3 times the size of the dough) and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a cool, draft-free spot away from direct sunlight, until slightly risen and puffy, about 1 hour.
• Remove the plastic wrap and turn the dough by doing the following: lift the left third of the dough and fold inwards towards the center, then repeat with the right third of the dough, folding inwards toward the center. Then fold the dough in half from bottom to top (perpendicular to the first two folds).
• Replace the plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1 hour.
• Turn dough again, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rise 1 hour longer.
• Dust the work surface liberally with flour. Hold the bowl with the dough at an angle over the floured surface. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface (the side of the dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). If you want two smaller loaves, split the dough into two equal halves. Use a knife or bench scraper.
• Dust the dough and your hands liberally with flour and, using minimal pressure, push dough into a rough 8- to 10-inch square. If you are making two loaves, shape each piece into a smaller rectangle.
• Shape the dough by folding the upper left corner towards the center of the square dough, then the right corner towards the center. Next, roll the dough into a log from top to bottom and place it seam-side down onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Dust loaf liberally with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap; let loaf rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and place a baking stone on the rack. (I use a cast iron griddle flat side up.) Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. It's really important to preheat the pan in the oven to ensure even heat and optimal crust results.
• Using a single-edged razor blade, or sharp chef's knife, cut a slit 1/2 inch deep lengthwise along top of loaf, starting and stopping about 1 1/2 inches from the ends. Lightly spray the loaf with water. Slide parchment sheet with loaf onto baker's stone or cast iron griddle in the oven. If you are not using a baking stone or tile, simply place the loaf on a baking sheet in the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and quickly spin loaf around half way using the edges of the parchment paper.
• Continue to bake until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. For one large loaf this will be about 35 minutes longer. For two smaller loaves this will be closer to 30 minutes.
• When the bread is done, transfer it to a wire rack and discard the parchment paper. If you'd like a butter crust, immediately wipe the end of a stick of butter over the crust until coated. Now the hardest part - cool the loaf to room temperature, about 2 hours.

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.