Biga Help

[A-Neibs]

When you make a biga, are you supposed to knead it for a few minutes? I was watching some videos on making one, and they just mixed the flour, water, and yeast together to make something that looked like pancake batter. When they were done mixing it they put it in the fridge. The other day I bought the Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart and for his biga, he says to mix everythng together and then knead it on the counter for 4 to 6 minutes. Any insight on this would be helpful. Thanks.

[apizza]

I don't know what is correct, but I never have kneaded a biga, and have had no problems.

[Pete-zza]

A-Neibs,

If what you saw looked like a batter it most likely was a poolish, which has a hydration of 100% and cannot be kneaded. I have not seen the formulation for the Reinhart biga but a biga technically is a fairly stiff dough and can be kneaded.

Peter

[A-Neibs]

Yeah, I'm looking in his book under Poolish and it is just a thick pancake batter. He says they are interchangeable in a recipe. I'm going to try dough with biga, so I guess I'll be kneading it. Thanks so much for the clarification Peter.

[apizza]

Thank you Peter, I guess I've been making a poolish all this time.