Biga Pizza Dough Recipe
This pizza dough takes off from our Easy Peasy Dough and uses this wonderful starter to amplify the flavor and texture of the dough.
Ingredients
Biga Starter
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 ounces water warm, between 100°F and 110°F
- 3 ounces bread flour
Biga Pizza Dough
- ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¾ cup water warm, between 100°F and 110°F
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Making Biga
- Ensure your water is between 100-110 F. Hotter water will kill your yeast, and colder water will make it take much longer to activate.
- Add the first 1/2 teaspoon of yeast to 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of warm water in a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk and let stand for 5 minutes to ensure the yeast is active and alive.
- Add 3 ounces (by weight) of bread flour. Stir with a knife or flat spatula. Once mixed, the starter can be worked by hand into a ball.
- Cover and store the Biga for at least 12 hours at room temperature or up to 24 hours. If storing longer, refrigerate after 12 hours at room temperature.
Making the Pizza
- Preheat outdoor pizza oven to ~800°F or indoor oven to 450°F.
- Ensure your water is between 100-110 F. Hotter water will kill your yeast, and colder water will make it take much longer to activate.
- In a medium bowl, dissolve the second 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in 3/4 cups of water. Whisk and let stand for 5 minutes to ensure the yeast is active and alive.
- Add the Biga to the water and yeast.
- Add in 1 cup of flour and mix it with the Biga, water and yeast.
- Slowly continue adding another 1/2 cup of flour, incorporating it into the dough.
- Add the salt to the dough and continue to mix.
- Add 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, reserving 0.5 tablespoons to oil your pizza pan. Continue to mix.
- Add the final 1/2 cup of flour and continue mixing. The dough should be solid and not too sticky to work with your hands. If necessary, add small amounts of additional flour until you can work the dough without it pulling apart in your hands.
- After all the ingredients are incorporated, cover with a damp cloth for 1 hour.
Outdoor Pizza Oven Cooking Instructions
- Preheat outdoor pizza oven to ~800°F
- Shape the dough into a circle. Try not to press the air out of the crust (especially not the edges). This recipe should create a pizza up to 14" in size, if made thin.
- Put the pizza onto a floured pizza peel.
- Top the pizza with your favorite toppings.
- Launch pizza into the oven.
- Rotate the pizza 1/4 turn about every 45 seconds.
- Bake for ~6 minutes until golden brown on top. Check the bottom for it to be fully done.
- Remove from the oven to rest for 3 minutes.
- Cut and serve immediately.
Indoor Pizza Oven w/Pan Cooking Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F
- Lightly oil your pizza pan to help avoid sticking.
- After the dough has rested for an hour, lightly oil your hands and press the dough into a circular shape onto a pizza pan. Try not to press the air out of the crust (especially not the edges).
- Top the pizza with your favorite toppings.
- Bake for 18 minutes in a conventional oven, turning at 9 minutes.
- Remove from the oven to rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut and serve immediately.
Notes
(Note that the nutrition facts relate to one dough ball only - no toppings).
Nutrition
Calories: 734kcalCarbohydrates: 122gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 1173mgPotassium: 183mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!