Italian BIGA
Learn everything you need to know about making Italian BIGA for homemade bread. After attending culinary school in Italy, I'll share many helpful insider tips.
Servings: 2 ½ cups (580 grams)
Calories: 1023kcal
Equipment
- tea towel
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water 60°F or 15°C
Instructions
- Mix flour and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium low speed. Slowly, add in water.
- Once a shaggy dough forms, bump the mixer speed up to high, and continue mixing until the dough forms into one solid mass, about 1–2 minutes. If your mixer is having trouble mixing the dough, switch to the dough hook.
- Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 12–16 hours until the top of the dough has crusted over and is flat (if it’s rounded/domed, it needs to sit for a longer time).
- Once ready, you must use it immediately. Cut off and discard a very thin layer of the crusty top then measure the BIGA dough.
Notes
If you notice the BIGA is sunken down in the middle, you've waited too long to use it, and you'll need to remake a new batch before baking bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 1023kcal | Carbohydrates: 205g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
