Italian Bread

This bread takes a while to make because of the pre-ferment, but it's worth it.

Italian Bread (From Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice)
Makes two 1-pound loaves

3 1/2 cups biga (instructions below)
2 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 2/3 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon diastatic barley malt powder (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup to 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, lukewarm
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Remove the biga from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough. Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Cover and let sit for 1 hour to take off the chill.

Stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and malt powder in a large bowl. Add the biga pieces, olive oil, and 3/4 cup water and stir together until a ball forms, adjusting the water or flour according to need. The dough should be slightly sticky and soft, but not batterlike or very sticky. If the dough feels tough and stiff, add more water to soften (it is better to have the dough too soft than too stiff at this point).

Sprinkle flour on the counter and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, adding flour as needed, until the dough is tacky, but not sticky, and supple. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl.

Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
Gently divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, and carefully form the pieces into two loaves, degassing the dough as little as possible. Lightly dust with a sprinkle of flour, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment or dust with cornmeal. Place the loaves on the pan and lightly mist with spray oil. Cover loosely.

Proof at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until the loaves have grown to about 1 ½ times their original size.

Preheat the oven to 500°F, having an empty sheet pan or cast-iron frying pan on the bottom rack or oven floor. Score the breads.

Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan on the bottom rack and close the door. Lower the oven setting to 450°F and bake until done, rotating 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking. It should take about 20 minutes for loaves.

Biga

Makes enough for one Italian bread recipe

2 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons to 1 cup water, at room temperature

Stir together the flour and yeast. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the water, stirring until everything comes together and makes a coarse ball. Adjust the flour or water, according to need, so that the dough is neither too sticky nor too stiff.

Sprinkle some flour on the counter and knead for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover and ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, or until it doubles in size.

Knead the dough lightly to degas then re-cover. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.