What is biga?
Biga is a type of starter used to make traditional Italian breads. In Italy, this term is used to indicate sourdough mushrooms, groups of wild yeasts and other appetizers. If the Italian recipe contains this ingredient, chefs should consult with the recipe to make sure they use the right type because the term is so general. When a biga is used, the bread is lighter, with larger holes and wet. The result is a classic Italian rural bread, popular roast good in many parts of the world. Creating this starter is a type of preliminary fermentation, supporting the development and maturation of yeast. Since yeasts are developed, bread made with biga takes longer, but also has a more complex and developed taste. As with many preliminary processes, it requires practice.
The classic biga is made of unsalted dough of previous bread. The chef simply charges the dough wedge before salting or sweetening and puts it away in a cold place overnight. Position under cooling slows downDevelopment of yeast, while biga can mature in a warm place in about six hours. The next day the chef uses it in a bread recipe and pulled out another piece of dough to repeat this process. When this system is used, the biga will have to be refreshed regularly because it does not collect new yeasts and the colonies can weaken.
Other chefs create a large dough for use as a biga. It starts with a dissolution of 0.5 teaspoon (about 1.5 grams) yeast in 0.75 cup (118 ml) of water and allowing the mixture to sit until foaming before adding about 2.5 cups (85 grams) flour. The dough is freely kneaded and will be dry and less elastic than conventional bread dough. It can be left in a warm place to grind, cooled up to three days, or frozen for up to three months.
Many Italian breads such as Ciabatta are produced with biga. As the starter lies, yeasts inside are multiplying and also form complex flavors and smells that increase breads with it. The taste and texture of Biga -based bread is significantly different from the normal yeastVarious bread and some consumers appreciate additional complexity.