The Fresh Loaf

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Difference between sourdough and biga made pitas - how come?

hanseata's picture
hanseata

Difference between sourdough and biga made pitas - how come?

I'm baking Multigrain Pitas every week, for many years. Adapted from Peter Reinhart's original recipe ("Whole Grain Breads"), I reduced the amount of instant yeast by half (from 8 grams to 4).

Recently, I changed the formula, now using the same amount of starter instead of biga (with 2 grams of additional instant yeast in the final dough). The hydration and overall procedure (overnight bulk fermentation and total soaking/fermentation time) remained unchanged.

I was surprised when my dough, made with a starter, constantly turned out moister. The biga-made dough was always quite a bit drier, when I shaped the pitas, even though the amounts of flour and water were exactly the same.

Has anybody a good explanation for this phenomenon?

The baked pitas, whether made with a biga or starter, are not significantly different in consistency (or taste).

Karin

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

SD pizza dough feels more wet than a poolish one even though they both ahve the same amount of water.  It is also more extensible and easier to stretch as a result too.

hanseata's picture
hanseata

I had the same impression about the SD pita dough being more elastic and pleasant to work with, but wasn't quite sure if this wasn't a "pro-sourdough bias". Anyway, I'm very happy with my sourdough pitas and will not go back to the biga version.

Skibum's picture
Skibum

I haven't made pita for a while and this will be my next bake. Perfect for filling with yummy things to eat for lunch at the ski hill!

I definitely have a pro-sourdough bias. Since discovering the joys of leavening breads with this, I use my liquid levain to bake almost everything. There are a few recipes where I will put some instant yeast in the final mix, but very few. I have been getting tasty results for a few years now and discovered that you must keep your starter happy. My best results have been baking a small loaf every day AND refreshing the starter every day. Great breads and pizzas.

I have learned SO much from other bakers at this site and have enjoyed eating all of it. Okay I have had some bricks. . . I haven't made a dark seeded rye loaf since your challenge. Perhaps you could throw another one down. It was fun and tasty!

Happy baking! Ski

ps time to feed the starter

hanseata's picture
hanseata

These pitas are really nice, I usually have some in the freezer (the nicked and dinged ones that I don't want to sell). We eat them with pan-fried Halloumi cheese, tomato and lettuce, like we had them on Cyprus.
(To make them with a starter instead of the biga, use 64 g whole wheat mother starter (75%) + 191 g whole wheat flour + 142 g water.)
Perhaps I will have another inspiration for a challenge next year.

Happy baking,

Karin