48–72 Hour Biga Dough

A stiff biga and a long cold ferment for deep flavor, with almost no yeast.

Pizza size

12"

8"16"

Number of pizzas

110

Thickness

Yeast

Plan backward

Mix the biga around 8 p.m., the dough the next morning, and you can make pizza any time the day after.

Dough ball

288

grams each

Total flour

500

grams

Total water

350

grams

Hydration

percent

Make the biga first

Mix these, then cover and rest about 12 hours at room temp, until tripled and bubbly. Use 415g in the dough.

Dissolve the yeast in 90–95°F water first. Use cooler water if your kitchen is warm.

48–72 Hour Biga DoughBiga 12 hrs, then cold 36–60 hrs3 pizzas · 12" · regular

01The night before: dissolve the yeast in the water, add the flour, and mix until combined
02Cover and rest about 12 hours at room temp, until the biga has tripled
03Dissolve the salt in the water, add the flour, and mix into a single mass
04Add the biga and mix with wet hands, pinching and folding, until fully combined
05Rest 45 min
06Divide and shape into balls; rest 2 hours at room temp (1 hour if it’s hot)
07Refrigerate 36–60 hours

Recipe from Ken Forkish.

Ken makes 5 thin-crust pizzas from this batch. It's shown as 3 regular 12" pizzas, which uses the same amounts.
All the yeast goes in the biga; the final dough has none.

See the original at Ken Forkish.