Preferments in Baking: Biga and Poolish

Using pre-ferments, known as preferments (Italian: pre-impasto), is a technique designed to enrich the dough’s aromatic profile, improve digestibility, and achieve a better baking structure. Preferments allow for a significant reduction or complete elimination of yeast in the final dough (refresh).

Biga: Traditional Italian Strength and Aroma

Biga is a stiff preferment of Italian origin, characterized by a low hydration level, usually around 44%. Its preparation requires a strong flour with high strength - W above 300.

• Characteristics: Properly prepared biga should not be intensively kneaded; ingredients are mixed only until the flour absorbs the water, avoiding gluten network formation. The ideal maturation temperature is 18-20°C.

• Impact on dough: It gives pizza lightness, crispness, and a characteristic slightly sweet aroma with yogurt notes. Biga promotes the production of lactic acid, improving the elasticity of the gluten network.

• Variations: The classic “Biga Giorilli” matures for 16-18 hours with 1% fresh yeast, but there are also “cold” versions (Biga Fredda) matured in the refrigerator and “long” versions (Lunga) lasting up to 48 hours.

Poolish: Liquid Precision and Flexibility

Poolish is a liquid preferment in which flour and water are mixed in equal proportions (1:1, meaning 100% hydration). The amount of yeast in poolish varies and strictly depends on the planned fermentation time - from 3% for 1-2 hour processes down to just 0.1% for 15-18 hour processes.

• Characteristics: Enzymatic processes occur more intensely here than in biga due to the high hydration. Poolish is considered mature when it doubles in volume and begins to slightly collapse in the center. A characteristic line also appears on the surface where the poolish starts to sink.

• Impact on dough: It provides exceptional dough extensibility and a crispy crust. In the final baked product, acetic acidity dominates, while the crumb usually has a regular porous structure.

Key Differences Between Biga and Poolish

The choice of preferment depends on the desired technological effect and flavor profile of the pizza:

1. Consistency: Biga is a stiff dough (44-50% water), while poolish is completely liquid (100% water).

2. Acidity profile: Biga promotes lactic acid (milder, sweeter flavor), while poolish favors acetic acid (sharper, more pronounced flavor).

3. Alveolation (hole structure): Air bubbles in poolish dough are usually smaller and more uniform. Biga allows for a more rustic character and irregular structure.

4. Temperature technology: To calculate water temperature for biga, the constant 55 is used, while for poolish the constant 70 is applied (subtracting the sum of room and flour temperature).

5. Usage: Poolish significantly improves dough extensibility, making shaping easier, while biga strengthens structure and baking volume.

Modern Neapolitan pizza often uses these indirect methods to achieve a product that is more digestible than the traditional direct method.

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Hydration control and process safety to avoid mistakes during refresh and warn when the flour is too weak for the selected fermentation time.