Making Biga - a Novel Method of Preparation

Having made quite a few bigas by various methods - by hand, and in spiral mixer, I've hit upon a new method that I would like to share.

It's based on using a planetary mixer; I use a Kenwood Major with the K beater, but a KA or similar should work fine if it has a similar attachment. The method seems to work best at 45% hydration.

My biga this time was based on lievito madre (15% inoculation), but the method also works fine with yeast. Here's what I did:

• put all the flour in the mixer bowl
• add in the LM, chopped up into tiny pieces
• run the mixer, initially on slowest and then a bit faster and then with a  splash of the water until the LM is mixed in like breadcrumbs (like making pastry!)
• now trickle in the rest of the water on slowest until it's all in and you should have a perfectly mixed biga!
• here's what mine looked like:

Lance