Are you happy with your pizza dough and want to give it more flavour and structure? Then Biga is an interesting option. In this instalment of our series "Special Doughs" we show you how to make and manage a pizza dough with Biga — including recipe, timings and practical tips.
What is Biga?
Biga is a firm preferment made from flour, water and yeast. Through a long, cool maturation the dough typically develops a slightly nutty, subtle acidity, stays moist for longer and can encourage a more pronounced edge during baking. The maturation time in this recipe is 15–18 hours in a cool room (approx. 16–20 °C).
Recipe overview
The total flour amounts to 1.000 g, the total water 700 g — this corresponds to about 70 % hydration.
Preferment (Biga)
- 200 g flour
- 90 g water
- 3 g fresh yeast
Main dough
- 800 g flour
- 610 g water
- 30 g salt
- 10 g olive oil
Step-by-step instructions
1) Prepare the Biga
- Mix the flour, water and fresh yeast for the Biga briefly but thoroughly until there are no dry spots left. The result is a very firm dough.
- Cover airtight in a bowl and let rest for 15–18 hours at 16–20 °C.
2) Mix the main dough
- Tear the Biga into pieces and mix with the ingredients of the main dough.
- Knead by hand or with a mixer until you have a homogeneous, smooth dough.
3) Rest and portion the dough
- Let the dough relax, covered, for 1 hour.
- Portion into suitable dough pieces (according to the desired pizza size) and shape into rounds.
- Let the dough portions rest again for 2 hours, until they have visibly risen.
Tips for success and handling
- Temperature control: The cooler the maturation environment, the more slowly the Biga matures. In warmer conditions the maturation time can shorten accordingly.
- Kneading: A firm preferment like Biga requires some patience when incorporating. A dough mixer gives especially even results; it is also possible by hand.
- Dough portions: After the final proof the dough portions should be visibly risen and feel airy. Handle them gently to preserve the fermentation gases.
- Baking: Bake the pizzas in a very well preheated pizza oven. High top and bottom heat promotes oven spring and browning.
Note for frequent bakers: If you regularly prepare larger quantities of dough, a suitable dough mixer makes the work easier and helps deliver reproducible results.