BIGA
In traditional bread bakeries in rural Italy, bread for a new day is started with a bit of unsalted starter taken from yesterday's bread making. The starter is known as "biga", pronounced bee-ga. No new dry, cake or wild yeast is added, just a cup or so of yesterday's biga. Of course, since the concentration of yeast cells is lower than in a packet or more of purchased yeast, the bread takes longer to rise. It simply takes longer for the yeast cells to multiply to the point that enough CO2 is released to raise the bread. But the slow rise contributes to the very well developed, distinctive flavor of these country loaves. Plus you can go away to work or whatever for the day and come back to bake it later on. You can cut the recipe in half easily. Recipe by Geri Guidetti of the Ark Institute.
Provided by Chef Kate
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 15m
Yield 4 cups
Number Of Ingredients 4
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.
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Fahumy Mohamed
[email protected]This is my go-to biga recipe. It's easy to make and always produces delicious results. The bread is light and airy, with a perfect crust. I highly recommend this recipe!
hexy_nite fornite
[email protected]Meh. The biga didn't add much flavor or texture to my bread. Not worth the extra effort.
Tami Ivanšek
[email protected]This biga recipe is a winner! The bread was so flavorful and moist, with a perfect crust. I've already shared the recipe with all my friends.
Nosisana Nkumanda
[email protected]Followed the recipe to a T, but my biga didn't turn out quite right. The dough was too sticky and difficult to work with. Not sure what went wrong.
Poonamsaud Saud
[email protected]I was a bit skeptical at first, but this biga recipe really delivered! My bread turned out amazing, with a crispy crust and a soft, chewy interior. Highly recommend!
Fatimakhan Fati
[email protected]Delicious! The biga really made a difference in the flavor and texture of my bread. I'll definitely be using this recipe again.
Uyanda Bophe
[email protected]Not bad for a first try. The biga added a nice flavor to the bread, but I think I need to adjust the hydration a bit next time. Overall, I'm happy with the results.
Aberene Fourie
[email protected]This biga recipe is a keeper! My bread turned out so light and fluffy, with a perfect crust. I can't wait to try it with different types of flour.
Sakina Khatun
[email protected]Easy to make and adds great flavor to bread. Will definitely use again.
Baban Mundi
[email protected]A bit of a process, but worth it! The biga gave my bread a fantastic flavor and texture. Will definitely make again.
Badal Harijan
[email protected]I've tried a few different biga recipes, but this one is by far the best. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the results were amazing. The biga added so much flavor and depth to my bread.
M Ahmad Raza
[email protected]Followed the recipe exactly and my biga turned out perfect. The dough was easy to work with and the final product was delicious. Highly recommend!
Raheem Brian
[email protected]This biga recipe was a game-changer for my homemade bread! The extra fermentation time resulted in a loaf with a wonderfully complex flavor and a beautifully chewy texture. I'll definitely be using this recipe again and again.