Rustic Italian Bread Recipe Biga

BIGA

Steps:

• Place the warm water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let stand until yeast has dissolved and is foamy, about 15 minutes.
• Measure flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture and cold water. Use a sturdy spoon to mix it together until sticky and difficult to stir, but nevertheless thoroughly combined. Cover and allow to ferment for 24 hours in the refrigerator before using.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To use, rinse a measuring cup in cool water, scoop out the amount of starter needed, and bring to room temperature.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• BREAD MACHINE DIRECTIONS
• PLACE all ingredients except cornmeal and egg white in bread machine pan according to manufacturer's directions. Process on DOUGH setting.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. At end of dough cycle, remove dough from machine. Place on lightly floured surface. Punch down dough. (If dough is sticky, knead in additional flour before shaping.) Cover dough with clean cloth. Let rest for 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place loaf on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 20 to 25 minutes or until light and doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• CONVENTIONAL OVEN METHOD
• SPOON flour lightly into measuring cup. Level off. Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. Mix well. Add warm water and oil. Mix well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 degrees to 85 degrees F) for 30 to 40 minutes.
• SPRINKLE ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough. Cover dough with inverted bowl and allow to rest on counter 15 minutes. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place dough on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm place 35 to 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
• HEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Make 1 deep lengthwise slash with sharp knife in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• High Altitude (3500 ft.):
• No change.

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• For the Biga: Combine flour, yeast and water in large bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead on lowest speed until it forms a shaggy dough, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer biga to a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until beginning to bubble and rise, about 3 hours. Refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
• For the Dough: Remove biga from the refrigerator and let set at room temperature while making the dough. Combine the flour, yeast and water in large bowl of mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead on lowest speed until a rough dough is formed, about 3 minutes. Turn mixer off and, without removing bowl or dough hook, cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap; add the biga and salt to the bowl.(Might be easier to add the biga in pieces). Knead on lowest speed until ingredients are incorporated and the dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl, about 4 minutes. Increase mixer speed to the next setting and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a cool, draft-free spot away from direct sunlight until slightly risen and puffy, about 1 hour.
• Remove plastic wrap and turn the dough by first sliding a curved plastic bench scraper or flexible spatula underneath, then gently lifting and folding one third of dough toward center. Do the same with the opposite side of dough. Then fold the dough in half, perpendicular to the first folds. Dough should be shaped into a rough square if folded correctly. Replace plastic wrap and let dough rise 1 more hour.
• Fold again as described above. Replace plastic wrap and let rise 1 more hour.
• To shape the Dough: Dust work surface liberally with flour. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl and invert onto the work surface so that the side which was on the top is now on the bottom. If you want two smaller loaves, split the dough into two equal halves. Use a knife or bench scraper. Dust the dough and hands with flour. Using minimal pressure, push the dough into a rough 8 to 10 inch square. Fold the top left corner diagonally to the middle. Repeat with the top right corner. You should now have a peak/point at the top. Gently roll the dough from the top peak/point to the bottom until it forms a rough log. Place the seam on the bottom and transfer to parchment paper. Start tucking the bottom edges underneath, working from the center to the ends, and gently stretch the dough until it is about a 16-inch long football-type shape. Dust top liberally with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• To bake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Place baking stone on rack and preheat oven to 500°F Using a lame or a very sharp knife, cut a slit 1/2-inch deep lengthwise into the center top of the dough, starting and ending 1-1/2 inches from the ends. Using a spray bottle, spray the loaf lightly with water. Slide the parchment paper with the loaf onto a baker's peel or other large, flat surface, then onto the hot baking stone in oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400° and, using the edges of the parchment paper, quickly rotate the loaf 180°. Continue to bake until a deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 210°, about another 35 minutes. For two smaller loaves this will be closer to 30 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

ULTIMATE RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• For the biga:.
• Combine the flour, yeast and water in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on the slowest speed (stir for a KitchenAid), until it forms a shaggy dough, about 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the biga to a medium bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until it begins to bubble and rise, about 3 hours.
• Refrigerate biga at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.
• For the dough:.
• Remove the biga from the refrigerator and let stand at room temp while making the dough.
• To make the dough, combine flour, yeast, and water in bowl of the standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead the dough on lowest speed until rough dough is formed, about 3 minutes.
• Turn the mixer off and, without removing the dough hook or bowl from the mixer, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. (This allows protein in the dough to relax, making for a stronger dough that can rise higher, with a better crust.).
• Remove the plastic wrap over the dough, and add the biga and salt to bowl. Continue to knead on the lowest speed until ingredients are incorporated (dough should clear the sides of the bowl but should stick to the very bottom), about 4 minutes.
• Increase the mixer speed to low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) and continue until the dough forms a more cohesive ball, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl (at least 3 times the size of the dough) and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a cool, draft-free spot away from direct sunlight, until slightly risen and puffy, about 1 hour.
• Remove the plastic wrap and turn the dough by doing the following: lift the left third of the dough and fold inwards towards the center, then repeat with the right third of the dough, folding inwards toward the center. Then fold the dough in half from bottom to top (perpendicular to the first two folds).
• Replace the plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1 hour.
• Turn dough again, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rise 1 hour longer.
• Dust the work surface liberally with flour. Hold the bowl with the dough at an angle over the floured surface. Gently scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface (the side of the dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). If you want two smaller loaves, split the dough into two equal halves. Use a knife or bench scraper.
• Dust the dough and your hands liberally with flour and, using minimal pressure, push dough into a rough 8- to 10-inch square. If you are making two loaves, shape each piece into a smaller rectangle.
• Shape the dough by folding the upper left corner towards the center of the square dough, then the right corner towards the center. Next, roll the dough into a log from top to bottom and place it seam-side down onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Dust loaf liberally with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap; let loaf rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and place a baking stone on the rack. (I use a cast iron griddle flat side up.) Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. It's really important to preheat the pan in the oven to ensure even heat and optimal crust results.
• Using a single-edged razor blade, or sharp chef's knife, cut a slit 1/2 inch deep lengthwise along top of loaf, starting and stopping about 1 1/2 inches from the ends. Lightly spray the loaf with water. Slide parchment sheet with loaf onto baker's stone or cast iron griddle in the oven. If you are not using a baking stone or tile, simply place the loaf on a baking sheet in the oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and quickly spin loaf around half way using the edges of the parchment paper.
• Continue to bake until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. For one large loaf this will be about 35 minutes longer. For two smaller loaves this will be closer to 30 minutes.
• When the bread is done, transfer it to a wire rack and discard the parchment paper. If you'd like a butter crust, immediately wipe the end of a stick of butter over the crust until coated. Now the hardest part - cool the loaf to room temperature, about 2 hours.

RUSTIC BREAD RECIPE WITH BIGA :THE BEST HOMEMADE ARTISAN BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Into a bowl add in the water and 2 pinches of yeast.It is hard to weigh it and most easiest way of expressing this amount will be slightly less than 1/12 tspStir and dissolve it in water.Now add the flour and combine together to form a dough.Make sure there are no dry patches left behind.Cover the bowl with a cling film and let it sit and ferment overnight.We can use the biga or starter that's been fermented anywhere between 10-16 hours(for the best results)
• In a small bowl ,add the water ,yeast ,salt and flour.Mix and combine to form a shaggy mass of dough.Now incorporate this dough with the preferment.Make sure its combined well enough that there are no lumps left and it's a homogenous dough.If you want to use a stand mixer you can use it at this point, which will make the process much easier.Now cover the dough and let it sit and rise.
• During this Proofing time we need to strengthen the dough.For that we will do 1 round of "stretch and fold" in 45 minutes and then another "layering of dough sheet" in another 45 minutesAfter 45 minutes of proofing, let's do stretching and folding the dough to strengthen the gluten in the dough.Just pull and stretch the dough and then fold it onto itself.Repeat the same on all four sides.Leave it to rise for another 45 minutes.Then again flip the dough on to a wet surface and stretch the dough to form a rectangular sheet of dough.Fold the dough from bottom and top 1/3 rd and then again fold it as shown in video.By now our dough has got a good texture.Transfer this dough onto a well greased containerNow cover the dough and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
• Our bread dough has risen slightly and it is ready for shaping.Transfer the dough on to a well floured work surface and then shape it into a boule " (round )or batard" (oblong)Place the shaped dough on to a bannettone or onto a rectangular loaf pan or a round bowl, lined with a well dusted(best to use gluten free flour like rice flour so that it will not stick to the dough) kitchen towel.Let the shaped bread dough sit and rise for 50 minutes in a warm environment and 50-60 minutes in a cold environment.After the final proofing, flip the dough on to a parchment paper.Dust off any excess flour on top.Score the bread with a sharp knife or blade or with a lame.Place this into the preheated oven dish or dutch oven.(We can use any oven proof dish with a proper lid.)Close the oven dish with it's preheated lid.
• Baking temperature and durationTransfer the dough on to a well preheated dutch oven(250C)( I recommend an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is hot enough) and close the pot with an oven safe lid.We can use a Dutch oven which is best to use for making this type of artisan rustic breads.Take care not to burn yourself during this step as the dutch oven or oven dish is very hot.Bake the bread inside the hot dutch oven(480F or 250 C) for 18 minutes with the lid on.After 18 minutes of baking,remove the lid and Reduce the oven temperature to 230CF.And then bake for another 8-12 minutes without the lid (450 F or 230C) ,until the top of the bread is nice and deep golden brown.The more you bake at this point,the more crispy the crust become.This extra baking will give that outer crust of the bread to get a more crisp and caramelized golden brown color and a nutty flavor.
• The bread is best when eaten fresh,when they are cooled but still slightly warm.It is chewy,so flavorful and has the perfect airy, soft texture.Enjoy!