Ciabatta, Biga Version
Ingredients
- 3 cups (16 ounces) biga (page 107) ⓘ
- 2 cups (9 ounces) unbleached bread flour ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (.37 ounce) salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 ounce) instant yeast ⓘ
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons to 1 1/8 cups (7 to 9 ounces) water (or substitute milk or buttermilk for all or part of the water, see Commentary), lukewarm (90 to 100F) ⓘ
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional) ⓘ
Instructions
- Remove the biga from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough.
- Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife.
- Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour.
- To make the dough, stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
- Add the biga pieces and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water and the oil.
- With a large metal spoon (or on low speed with the paddle attachment), mix until the ingredients form a sticky ball.
- If there is still some loose flour, add the additional water as needed and continue to mix.
- Proceed as described in the poolish version.
- Ciabatta, Biga Version %
- Biga: 178%
- Bread flour: 100%
- Salt: 4.1%
- Instant yeast: 1.9%
- Water (approx.
- ): 83.3%
- Olive oil: 22.2%
- Total: 389.5%
- Lean, rustic dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
- Day 1: 2 to 4 hours poolish or biga
- Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill poolish or biga; 10 to 15 minutes mixing; 3 to 4 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 20 to 30 minutes baking
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
358
kcal
18% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).