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Ciabatta And Biga Starter

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Italy

Known as an Italian recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 16 ingredients

  1. 1 Tsp yeast
  2. 5 Tblsp milk -- warmed
  3. 1 C water -- PLUS
  4. 3 Tblsp water -- room temperature
  5. 1 Tblsp olive oil
  6. 2 Cups Biga starter -- *NOTE
  7. 3 3/4 C. white flour
  8. 1 Tblsp salt
  9. cornmeal
  10. Biga Starter:
  11. 1/4 Tsp yeast
  12. 1/4 C warm milk
  13. 3/4 C water -- PLUS
  14. 1 T water -- PLUS
  15. 1 Tsp water
  16. 2 1/2 C flour

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Wheat flour High in manganese · High in selenium · Source of folate · +2

    High in manganese · 0.8 mg per 100 g, 40% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    • Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Manganese is a mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body uses manganese to make energy and protect your cells from damage. NIH fact sheet

    High in selenium · 40 µg per 100 g, 72% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Selenium contributes to normal spermatogenesis.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Selenium contributes to the normal thyroid function.
    • Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and function properly. NIH fact sheet

    Source of folate · 33 µg per 100 g, 17% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
    • Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis.
    • Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    • Folate contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Folate has a role in the process of cell division.

    Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material. NIH fact sheet

    Source of copper · 0.2 mg per 100 g, 18% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues.
    • Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
    • Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. NIH fact sheet

    Source of protein · 12 g per 100 g, 13% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Wheat flours, bread, unenriched”, USDA FoodData Central.

  2. Flour Source of phosphorus · Source of copper · Source of manganese · +1

    Source of phosphorus · 106 mg per 100 g, 15% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Phosphorus contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Phosphorus contributes to normal function of cell membranes.
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.

    Phosphorus is a mineral contained in each cell in our body. Most phosphorus is in the bones and teeth, and some is in your genes. NIH fact sheet

    Source of copper · 0.2 mg per 100 g, 17% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues.
    • Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
    • Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. NIH fact sheet

    Source of manganese · 0.6 mg per 100 g, 28% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    • Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Manganese is a mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body uses manganese to make energy and protect your cells from damage. NIH fact sheet

    Source of selenium · 10 µg per 100 g, 19% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Selenium contributes to normal spermatogenesis.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Selenium contributes to the normal thyroid function.
    • Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and function properly. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Flour, 00”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Blending hot liquid. Let it cool a little first, fill the blender no more than a third, and hold the lid down with a folded towel. Start on the lowest speed. A stick blender in the pan is safer.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. *NOTE (see below), made 12 hrs before
  2. By coincidence, my sister just gave me a recipe for ciabatta, a slipper-shaped bread from Lake Como, which she recommended highly. It's from an Italian cookbook, the name of which I didn't copy down. I made it last week, and it was very good, but it takes a long time to make!:
  3. Stir yeast into milk; let stand until creamy, about ten min. Add water, oil and biga, mix until blended. Mix flour and salt, add to the bowl, mix for 2 or 3 min. Knead. Let rise until doubled. Cut dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder, then shape into a rectangle, about 10x4 inches. Place on floured baking sheets. Dimple with knuckles so they won't rise too much -- dough will look heavily pockmarked. Cover with dampened towels, let rise 1 1/2 - 2 hours, till puffy but not doubled -- the loaves will look flat, but will rise in the oven. Heat oven to 425 F, sprinkle loaves with cornmeal. Bake 20-25 min., spraying 3 times with water in the first 10 minutes. Cool on racks.
  4. Biga starter for Ciabatta: Stir yeast into warm water, let stand 10 min. Stir in remaining water and flour. Mix for 3 or 4 minutes. Let rise at cool room temp 6-24 hours -- the starter will triple in volume and be wet and sticky. Refrigerate until ready to use. It freezes well, needs 3 hours at room temperature to re-activate. Can be refrigerated for about a week.
  5. makes about 2 1/3 cups
  6. >From: Nancy Gandhi

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Baking tray
  • Mixing bowl
  • Blender
  • Chef's knife
  • Wooden spoon
Source Not stated: saved from a website or mailing list, rights unverified
Credit

Saved from the Bread-Bakers mailing list (http://www.bread-bakers.com/archives/recipe/text-zip/b3q96/b3q96.txt), file Recipes/www.bread-bakers.com/archives/recipe/text-zip/b3q96/b3q96.txt in the Internet Archive item cooking-recipes (https://archive.org/details/cooking-recipes).

What was changed: Read by machine from the mastercook text: title, ingredients and method as written, columns closed up and wrapped lines joined; credit lines kept apart; e-mail addresses removed; an all-capitals title given ordinary capitals. Not rewritten.