Yesterday I watched a youtube video “How to make Neapolitan Pizza Dough (100% BIGA recipe) in a Neapolitan Pizzaria in Rome”. I extracted the baker percentages from the instructions, and created a spreadsheet calculator so I could give it a try. I started the 48 hour biga ferment yesterday, will do the dough tomorrow afternoon, make balls and then give them 24hrs in the fridge before baking on Friday evening. This is an experiment, using cold fermentation, but if successful I will see about doing the same using room temp fermentation.
ChatGPT.
Out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT to create a 100% BIGA Pizza dough recipe, with 45% BIGA hydration, 1015g flour, 48 hour fermentation @ 6C in fridge. Dough hydration 68%, 3.4% salt and added malt, with 24 hour fermentation @ 6C before baking in a wood fired oven. Mixing BIGA and dough in spiral mixer.
I was really impressed at the info ChatGPT gave back, really accurate and almost exactly per my recipe. Provided the following info which is very close to the recipe that I got from the youtube video.
Step 1: Biga (45% Hydration, 48h @ 6°C)
Ingredients | Amount |
Flour | 1015g |
Water (45%) | 456.75g |
IDY (0.02%) | 0.2g |
Rest 20 min at room temp, then refrigerate at 6°C for 48 hours.
Step 2: Final Dough (to reach 68% Hydration)
We now calculate how much more water, salt, and malt to add:
Water Needed to Reach 68% Hydration:
68% of 1015g flour = 690.2g total water
Already in biga: 456.75g
Add 233.45g water to final dough
Final Dough Mix Additions:
Ingredient | Amount |
Water (to reach 68%) | 233.45g |
Salt (3.4%) | 34.51g |
Malt (1.5%) | 15.23g |
Optional IDY | 0-0.1g |
You may omit the extra yeast entirely unless your biga shows signs of underfermentation.
Mixing Instructions (Spiral Mixer):
Break biga into ~160–180g of the water
Add malt
Mix until biga starts to break up
Add salt, then slowly add remaining water while mixing
Mix until smooth, elastic dough (~10–12 min)
After Mixing:
Let rest 20–30 min at room temp if tight
Divide and ball (e.g. 250g per ball)
Place in lightly oiled dough trays or containers
Refrigerate for 24h at 6°C
Bake Day:
Remove dough 2–3 hours before baking
Let come to room temperature (~22°C)
Stretch gently and bake in 450–500°C wood-fired oven → Bake time: 60–90 seconds
✅ Recap – Full Recipe (Based on 1015g Flour)
Biga (48h @ 6°C)
Flour: 1015g
Water: 456.75g (45%)
IDY: 0.2g
Final Dough Mix
Water: 233.45g (to reach 68%)
Salt: 34.51g (3.4%)
Malt: 15.23g (1.5%)
Optional IDY: 0–0.1g
Total dough weight ≈ 1755g
→ Makes ~7 × 250g dough balls (I will make 6 x 280g balls)
Leave a comment: