Yeast Starter - Biga

Yeast Starter – Biga (sponge)

Ingredients

          ¼ cup warm water (not over 105 degrees F)

½ teaspoon dry – active yeast or 1/5 cake (a scant ½ teaspoon fresh yeast)

          1-1/3 cup water (@ room temperature, about 70 degrees)

3-3/4 cup (scooped and leveled) organic unbleached all-purpose flour

A few drops of olive oil (for the rising bowl)

 

Mixing the biga:

First pour the ¼ cup warm water into a bowl or measuring cup. Sprinkle on and Wisk in the ½ teaspoon of yeast; let stand 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is creamy and the yeast has thoroughly dissolved. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of the mixer, stir in the rest of the water, and use the hand whisk to beat in 1 cup flour. Set the bowl on the machine; attach the paddle, and measure in the remaining flour. Mix at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes to make sticky, batter-type dough. Alternately: Mix by hand first with a whisk, then with a wooden spoon. (I use the latter method).

Rising:

Lightly oil the rising container with a few drops of olive oil (a tall Tupperware container – rectangle 4” x 5”, about 8” to 10” tall).

Place mixture in container and cover tightly with Glad clingwrap with a rubber band to hold in place. Mark the level of the biga on the outside of the container so that you may judge the eventual amount of the rise. Set at cool temperature (about 70 degrees F) for 6 to 24 hours. The biga should triple in volume and then fall back upon itself. It will be a sticky big bubbled batter when it is ready.

Storing the biga:

Refrigerate after 24 hours where it will keep for several days.

To Refresh a Starter:

A fresh starter begins to sour after four or five days. To refresh a starter, remove and discard 1-1/2 cups of it. Blend and wisk to batter like consistency. Add 1-1/2 cups of flour in bowl with about 1/3 cup of water; stir this into the starter and let the starter rise again before refrigerating. You may freeze a starter.

I keep a portion of my original starter/biga when I need to make more. I believe this is the key to tasty bread. I add anywhere from a half a cup to ¾ cup of my old starter when making new biga.