Biga is a type of pre-ferment used in Italian baking. A pre-ferment (pâte fermentée also called a "sponge" or a "bread starter" is a Fermentation starter used in Bread Baking. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Baking is the technique of prolonged Cooking of Food by dry heat acting by conduction, and not by radiation, normally in an Oven, Many popular Italian breads, including ciabatta, are made using a biga. Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. Ciabatta (ˌtʃaˈbatːa prononuced " cha-BAHT-ta " literally carpet slipper is an Italian White bread made with Wheat flour Using a biga adds complexity to the bread's flavor and is often used in breads which need a light, open texture with holes. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth Apart from adding to flavor and texture, a biga also helps to preserve bread by making it less perishable. Flavor or flavour is the sensory impression of a Food or other substance, and is determined
Biga techniques were developed after the advent of baker's yeast as bakers in Italy moved away from the use of sourdough and needed to recover some of the flavor which was given up in this move. Baker's yeast is the common name for the strains of Yeast commonly used as a Leavening agent in Baking Bread and related products where it converts Sourdough (or more formally natural leaven or Levain) refers to the process of leavening Bread by capturing wild Yeasts Bigas are usually dry and thick compared to the French Poolish or a sourdough starter. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A pre-ferment (pâte fermentée also called a "sponge" or a "bread starter" is a Fermentation starter used in Bread Baking. A pre-ferment (pâte fermentée also called a "sponge" or a "bread starter" is a Fermentation starter used in Bread Baking. This thickness is believed to give a Biga its characteristic slightly nutty taste. Biga is usually made fresh every day, using a small amount of bakers yeast in a thick dough, which varies from 45 to 60% hydration as a bakers percentage, and is allowed to ferment from 12 to 16 hours to develop its flavor fully. Baker percentage, sometimes called formula percentage, is a way of indicating the proportion of ingredients when making Bread.
There are a few bread books whose authors specify a much higher hydration to the biga. Franco Galli, in his "Il Fornaio Baking Book," specifies a biga that is about 100% hydration, which takes it into the level of a French poolish. In general, however, a biga is a preferment of around 60% and the poolish is a preferment of around 100%.
External links
- The Artisan on indirect baking
- Recipe for and photos of making a biga
- Discussion of pre-ferments in general
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