48-to-72 Hour Biga Pizza Dough

Two nights before you plan to make the pizza, measure and mix the biga ingredients. Put the water in a 4 or 6-quart plastic container with a lid. Add yeast to the water and let sit for a minute to hydrate, then swish it around until dissolved. Add the flour and mix by hand until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Put a lid on it and let it sit at room temperature.

Remove the biga from the dough tub and add the water. Add the salt and swish it around until dissolved. Add the flour and mix by hand until you have a single dough mass.

Add the biga to the dough and mix by hand until both doughs are incorporated. Feel free to take a break after a couple of minutes to let the dough rest. Because the biga and the dough are different consistencies, it can take longer than usual for the dough to unify. The target dough temp at the end of the mix is 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let the dough rest for 20 minutes, then knead it again for a minute. The skin of the dough should be very smooth. Place the dough ball seam down in the same container and cover with lid. Let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Remove the dough from the tub and cut into 3 equal pieces with a bench scraper or knife.

Shape each piece of dough into a ball.

Place the dough balls on a large, floured plate so that they are not touching. Wrap in plastic wrap. Let them rest at room temp for 2 hours and then move to the refrigerator. They will hold in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can freeze them for up to a week. Or, you can par-bake them.

Remove the dough balls from the fridge 60 to 90 minutes before shaping them to make pizza.