What is biga?
It is a pre-dough obtained by combining some ingredients: flour, water and yeast. Once the first dough is obtained, it is left to mature for 16 hours or for 48 hours, of which in the latter case the first 24 hours in the refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 4°C and the following 24 hours at 18-20°C at room temperature.
The preparation of the biga must be done according to the rules of the art to obtain that sense of highly digestible and crunchy dough.
In order to obtain an excellent biga it is very important to pay attention to the choice of flours. They must be well balanced with a P/L 0.40-0.60 and with a minimum W of 280 to a maximum of 330-350W. For a short fermentation (6-10 hours) it is necessary to use medium strength flours W 260-280, while for longer fermentations it is necessary to use flours with a strength above 330.
But what type of mixer should you use to make a good biga?
The fork mixer is definitely the best solution. For proper fermentation, it takes about 5-7 minutes, while if you want to use the mixer with the diving arms, it takes 3 to 5 minutes using the first speed.
It is very important to respect the timing of the different mixers, otherwise the result will not be as hoped.
Pay attention to another small aspect: the biga must not rise but only ferment.
If the bigas are too kneaded, the maturation is premature and in addition a characteristic that makes the aforementioned state immediately understood is the pungent smell.
If the bigas have been kneaded quickly, a sort of crust appears on the surface and the resulting smell is a mix of water and flour rather than fermentation.
If the bigas have been kneaded with a higher percentage of water, they mature before the expected hours because a significant percentage of humidity has been introduced inside.
Types of bigas based on mixing times
Classic Biga
Ripening characteristics: 16 hours, temperature 19-20 °C.
This dough is suitable for the production of pizza in pala, bread or Roman-style pan for short maturations.
Cold Biga
Ripening characteristics: 24 hours + 10°C:
Suitable for the summer period given that the biga matures in the fridge. Here too it is ideal for Roman pizza dough for short and medium maturations.
Biga with long controlled maturation
Ripening characteristics Ripening 48h 24h at +4°C, 24h at room temperature of 20°C
Intended use
Suitable for the production of bread, pizza on a shovel or in a pan, Roman-style, for short maturations
Biga with long maturation at room temperature
Characteristics: 24 hours maturation at room temperature
This type of dough is suitable for medium maturation.
Knowing how to make a biga correctly is not at all easy as it requires a good dose of patience but above all you need to have mastery.
I hope this post was helpful.
Until next time
