Il Circolo del Forno
Imagine opening your oven and smelling the rich, homely aroma of well-baked bread or freshly made pizza. In both cases, the charm comes from the same original gesture: a dough coming to life, growing, and changing texture under your hands. Many observe the techniques of great masters as if they belong to a distant knowledge, reserved for a few specialists. In reality, the pre-ferment known as biga is a tool accessible even in home kitchens and represents one of the most effective ways to improve both bread and pizza. It is a technical step that combines the practicality of brewer's yeast with the aromatic richness typical of more advanced fermentations, resulting in a final product with more aroma, better structure, and a distinctly superior pleasantness to the bite.
Entering the world of biga means adopting a method that is both scientific and artisanal, made famous by the systematization of Maestro Giorilli. The strength of this pre-ferment lies in the acidity that develops during maturation: not only does it enrich the aromatic profile, but it activates enzymatic processes that concretely impact the final quality. In bread, this translates to a finer crumb, a balanced crispness, and longer shelf life. In pizza, it promotes lightness, tenderness, better coloration during baking, and a structure that remains crispy outside while soft inside. Thus, biga is not just a technical expedient, but a true bridge between two closely related worlds: that of bread-making and that of artisanal pizza.
To prepare a traditional biga, precision, temperature control, and respect for timings are required. The classic formula calls for 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of flour type 00 with a strength between W 300 and W 340, 16 oz (450g) of water, and 0.35 oz (10g) of fresh yeast. The mixing must be brief: crumble the yeast into the flour, add all the water, and mix at low speed until a rough mass is obtained, broken into compact blocks, without fully developing the gluten network. This structure allows the pre-ferment to retain fermentation gases well while avoiding overheating. The final temperature should be around 66°F (19°C), while maturation requires about 16 hours in a stable environment between 61°F (16°C) and 64°F (18°C).
When choosing to use biga for a very high or total amount in the final dough, a decisive element comes into play: diastatic malt extract. After such a long fermentation, indeed, the dough is low in available sugars and presents advanced protease activity, meaning a partial degradation of the gluten structure. Adding a dose between 2.5% and 3.5% helps to nourish the yeasts again and supports the remaining gluten, improving development and browning without weighing down the result with additional yeast or fat.