Biga, Poolish, Sourdough, what the different

How the BIGA is made
Now that you know what BIGA is, let's see together how it is prepared. The ingredients and doses needed for it are as follows:
500 g of strong flour;
250 g of water;
2 g of brewer's yeast.
The formula that indicates the relationship between the ingredients is as follows: water is 50% of the weight of the flour and yeast 1%. However, you can increase the amount of yeast depending on the time you have available for leavening. Remember that no salt is needed for this recipe.
The procedure for preparing the biga is simple, first of all choose the one with the spiral hook among the mixers:
pour the flour and yeast, previously dissolved in a little warm water, into the mixer, then mix the ingredients slowly and briefly, adding the remaining water. Don't worry if lumps have formed, you don't have to get a homogeneous mixture;
once the ingredients are mixed together, give the solid dough a round shape, like a ball, with your hands, then put it in a large bowl, or in a spacious container, covered with a damp cloth or film and let it rise for 24 hours in the fridge. In the season in which it is very hot, the ideal temperature for the leavening and maturation of the chariot is that of the refrigerator, while in winter it can be left at room temperature.
Among the factors that influence the success of the chariot there are certainly the temperature of the water and hydration, the humidity of the place where the mixture is left to rise and therefore the temperature of the environment.
If you have a dry dough, also in relation to the different type of flour used, for example in the case of wholemeal flour, just add more water.
Medium flour
Water
Fresh brewer's yeast
The water will be measured at the same weight as the flour (1: 1 ratio), while the yeast will be the variable factor in our preparation.
In fact, this will be influenced by the rising times: the higher the percentage of yeast, the longer the time needed for the poolish to mature.
Here are some sample measurements:
If the leavening time is 8 hours: 100g of flour + 100ml of water + 0.5g of brewer's yeast
If the leavening time is from 12 to 24 hours: 100g of flour + 100ml of water + 0.1g of brewer's yeast
You will be able to say that your dough will be ready once a slight depression has been created in the center of the work. The smell should not be too pungent and it will be necessary to pay particular attention to the fermentation times. In the worst case, you could find yourself with an excessively acidic preparation, a circumstance that would affect the gluten mesh of your dough, leading to too compact processing results.
Sometimes it is used to add an additional small amount of yeast (brewer's or sourdough) to the finished dough, and then let it rise again.
The temperature of a poolish at the end of processing is about 23 °, particularly dependent on the water present in the mixture.
Water temperature = 70 - Ambient temperature - Flour temperature
In conclusion
Both the biga and the poolish are two excellent doughs for indirect method leavened products. The preparation method and the recipes are simple in themselves, but must be followed with care in order to obtain the best results.
Using these two preparations in your recipes will lead to slightly different results: the biga will allow you to prepare more honeycomb, irregular and soft doughs. The poolish, on the other hand, allows the preparation of products with small and regular alveoli, with a crunchy crust and stronger flavor.
HOW TO CREATE MOTHER YEAST AT HOME (STARTING FROM ZERO)
The starting point is always the same: flour and water. There is no oil, there is no salt, there is nothing else and if there are, it is not mother yeast.
There are those who suggest a fermented fruit water starter, but I find that it really has no advantage over a simpler start and for the sake of ecology and savings, my advice is to start with water and flour, without too many frills.
The only other tool needed is a glass jar, which must be large enough to allow the yeast to triple in volume when ready. The jar can also be recycled and must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed with hot water to remove all traces of the flavor.
It starts with a 50% hydrated mixture of water and flour. I started with 60 g of flour and added 60 g of water. They are kneaded to create a smooth and elastic dough, a ball is formed and deposited in the jar. I add a cross cut on the ball to expose a larger surface to the air. The jar should be stored away from drafts and sudden changes in temperature and - even more importantly - away from sources of moisture.
It is covered with a perforated film and / or with a clean cloth napkin free from fabric softener residues and left to rest for 48 hours. After the first 48 hours we proceed to refreshments. Refreshing means nourishing our yeast and, in this phase of creation, pushing the microorganisms that compose it to do their "job".

[@Alex-mx3ic]

I’ll flesh out the details a little in case anyone is still confused: *BIGA:* A lower hydration (~50-100%) preferment that will produce a chewier crust with structure. *POOLISH:* A 100% hydration (Equal parts flour and water) preferment that produces a nice, light, airy crust. *DIRECT METHOD:* Also known as the Straight Dough Method, simply combine your flour, water, and yeast, then continue with the recipe’s steps. *INDIRECT METHOD:* This is known as many different things around the world, but it means to use a preferment. *PREFERMENT:* Simply fermenting a portion of the total flour beforehand to increase flavour and structure. Typically anywhere from 15%, all the way to 50%, but usually somewhere around 30% of the total flour. *SOURDOUGH STARTER:* Sourdough starter is a portion of flour and water that has been built or nurtured over weeks and sometimes months, and allowed to ferment by simply collecting all the wild yeasts and LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) in the area. *DRY AND FRESH YEASTS:* *Dry yeast* is dehydrated commercial yeasts that are activated once combined with water. *Fresh yeast* typically comes in a pressed block, it is hydrated yeast that produces a fresher flavour, but is not always available to everyone. *MANITOBA FLOUR:* This is a very high quality flour made from soft wheats from Canada, but is now more frequently being produced by Italy. This is a Type 0 W350 flour with a protein content of >14%. This protein content and W value is VERY important when attempting to produce Massimo’s recipes as it can stand up to long fermentation times and not break down too quick. *ROOM TEMP:* Room temperature has different meanings around the world, however it typically falls between 65F-75F (19-24C) If you try to ferment a pizza dough at anything above or below this range it will take a much shorter, or much longer time respectively. I think thats most of the things I’ve learned in my trials attempting to imitate Massimo’s recipes that should help you replicate them, too.

[@Sdvaughn04]

Very helpful. Thank you

[@roxannavictoria7464]

That’s the best video on explaining the differences! Thank you❤

[@123Fever321]

Thanks for the great overview!

[@Sdvaughn04]

Very helpful video. Thank you and The Lord continue to bless you and your business!

[@kevinpeeters1723]

Simple and clear explanation , thank you Massimo !🙏

[@fern8580]

Great ! Best regards from France & Canada!

[@benlee9647]

thx

[@FilipposFate]

I love you're video's. Wish you 1billion likes and flowers. Big greetings from Russia. Whish a can come to Italy and visit you one day..

[@wsurfn]

Thank you

[@millerman7799]

Greetings from Denmark. Great channel, it's cozy and informative watching you work with dough/pizza :D Subscribed! =)

[@kenilguerriero2094]

Ciao grande pizzaiolo massimo buon week end

[@jimmyp6443]

Yes chef

[@cfazio]

Massimo it’s “indirect” not undirect. 🙂 Maybe you could talk about the flavor characteristics of each method? Thanks

[@razawbarzingi5687]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@JosephCataldo]

Massimo- Thank you so much for your videos and sharing all your knowledge with us at home. 2 Questions- What percentage of sourdough do you use for your pizza dough recipes? Also, do you make a levain in preparing your sourdough for your dough or do you just use your sourdough directly from your existing sourdough starter when it is at its peak?

[@massimonocerino]

1 question 10/15 % depends of whether. 2 question I use the starter before fedding

[@JosephCataldo]

@@massimonocerino Thank you Maestro. God bless!!!

[@josephcovino9697]

My biggest question or confusion is "WHY" someone would do one of those 3 methods instead of making enough dow balls the direct way fermenting on the counter an hour and keeping in the fridge a couple or 3 days ??? Is it that it's a faster way to make a pizza immediately when needed instead of making and keeping a bunch of balls in the fridge and the poolish,biga or starter keeps longer and takes up less room in the fridge? Maestro if you can answer me or anyone who knows . Either way appreciate all you do for us Massimo, thank you.

[@massimonocerino]

Joseph,each of us. he chooses the simplest way or the one he assumes is ideal for his pizzas, as I said on the video to make a good pizza you can also do it on the most traditional way such as the direct one, all these methods are suitable for each of us, I personally i prefer my suordough. yeast, pizza can be made in many ways, and you decide what you prefer, without creating so many difficulties. I hope you understand me a greeting

[@josephcovino9697]

@@massimonocerino So, are the reasons for doing any of the methods because it's just whatever your taste likes , only that ? My question is any one of them make it faster to get a pizza made the reason, or save room in your fridge??? Grazia.

[@massimonocerino]

@@josephcovino9697 THE reason of this method are to make pizzas more light and high digestive, not for room save. in the fridhe or faster way to make,it. Hope that its clear now

[@josephcovino9697]

@@massimonocerino Mila Grazia Massimo, Amico mio !

[@daddaIT]

Mate, taste profile is very different between the 4 options. My wife hates the acidity of sourdoughs (even if it’s made by the best masters in Italy). Biga is good but tastes a bit too much like bread to me (michetta specifically). Direct method lacks depth and richness, mine at least even in a 48 hours process (unless it’s made by a master pizzaiolo from Napoli). Hence I settled on poolish which on top of taste has a very easy cold cycle handling (24 hours in the fridge and after kneading pizza is ready in 3-4 hours)

[@0404Fire]

@Massimo you Feed your Old Sourdough with 1 Part (leftover )Sour dough and 1 Part 50% water 50% Flour ,Right?

[@massimonocerino]

Yes

[@Nadeem7393]

Is there any difference on taste int each method

[@daddaIT]

Yes significant difference

[@beaerconwald6745]

Hi Massimo, is it ‘indirect’ or ‘undirect’ i can’t seem to find an explanation on it.

[@massimonocerino]

direct when you use the dry yeast or fresh yeast ,then you make the dough. . that its direct. btw i will add to descripition, thanks

[@kman6716]

Massimo for goodness sake 😅I am bloody confused 🫤

[@doncressco]

Biga is prefermented version of the Italian Lievito Madre since they are both 65/35 or around 50% hydration Where Poolish is the version of the regular sourdough starter with equal parts water and flour, 100% hydration.