Let’s talk about indirect method bread making, especially biga . What is it? A pre-dough obtained by mixing water, flour and yeast in such proportions that the product has a fairly dry consistency. Be careful, this pre-dough will not form the entire gluten mesh.
In the dough, the biga has a driving function for the compound improving various aspects: aroma, shelf life, color and flavor. The amount of yeast to be used, at this point, is significantly reduced.
The preparation, whose fermentation can last from 16 to 48 hours, requires strong flours to maintain an excellent balance between resistance and elasticity during all the hours needed for the development of the biga itself.
WHY CHOOSE TO USE BIGA
In addition to giving a harmonious flavour, this pre-dough is perfect if you want to obtain a final product
with large, porous and irregular alveoli, a soft crumb , an upward leavening like panettone and brioche, but also soft pizzas or focaccias. In addition, you will have a crispier bread , a better aroma and high digestibility .
HOW TO PREPARE BIGA
The first step : dissolve the yeast in the water and add the sifted flour (preferably strong flours and flours higher than W 300); work the dough to give it the shape of a ball, put it in a bowl, cover the bowl with a damp cloth, then with cling film and let the biga mature. Maturation ends when the dough reaches a pH of 5.2-5.7. The pH of the biga can be measured with a special instrument called a pH meter.
The external temperature is fundamental: for medium bigas the ideal temperature is 20°C; for long bigas (with 48 hours of fermentation) the temperature must be lower, on average 4°C for the first 24 hours and 20°C for the remaining ones.
The other steps : the other ingredients required by the recipe are added to the biga, kneaded and the second leavening is carried out. In the third phase, the dough is divided and left to rest to double in volume. The fourth step involves working the dough obtained with the folding method, calculating a 30-minute rest for each action. Finally, you can move on to cooking .
https://starpizza.org/strpz/negozio/armadio-fermabiga-per-teglie-60×40-e-60×80-copia/
