Bread
(Yeast
)
Pane Casareccio
Contributor: Steph
Biga
1/4
tsp
yeast
1/4
cup
water
warm
2 tsp plus
3/4 cup
water
room temp
2 1/2
cups
flour
Dough
1 1/2
tsp
yeast
1/4
cup
water
105 to 115 degrees
2 1/3
cups
water
1
cup
Biga
room temp
1 3/4
lb
flour
about 5 3/4 cups
1
Tbl
sea salt
cornmeal
for baking stone
Biga - Stir yeast into the warm water, let stand until creamy ~ 10 min. stir in remaining water, then the
flour 1 cup at a time, mix with a wooden spoon about 4 minutes or with a paddle at lowest speed for 2
minutes.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap, and let rise for 24 to 48 hours (sort of Italian Sour
Dough). Refrigerate after 48 hours, will be good for 5 days.
Dough - Stir yeast into warm water in large bowl and let stand until creamy ~ 10 minutes. Add room
temperature water and biga. Squeeze the biga through your fingers until water is chalky and biga is well
shredded. Begin stirring in the flour with the salt, 2 cups at a time. Beat well with wooden spoon until the
dough is a shaggy moist mass. Flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Knead until the dough loses
it s stickiness (using as little extra flour as possible). Place dough in an oiled straight sided container for first
rising. Let rise until Tripled~ 3 hours.
Pour dough out onto work surface Do Not Punch Down. Lightly flour top and gently cut into 3 pieces.
Flatten each piece (without popping air bubbles) and roll it up lengthwise, turn 90 degrees and flatten and roll
again. Shape into a ball, creating a tight skin on top. Place on floured parchment paper for 2nd rise. Let rise
until doubled ~1 hour
30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with baking stone in side. Sprinkle stones with
cornmeal and invert loaves, removing paper that sticks after ~15 minutes. Bake until golden brown ~ 35
minutes
Edition: 3