How long does it take to make poolish?

Poolish can be prepared in as little as two hours, but the ideal fermentation time is 12-18 hours. It is often recommended that you leave the poolish to ferment overnight.

How does a poolish pizza taste?

Poolish pizza dough has a creamy, slightly nutty flavor profile. It is often described as a less-sour sourdough in terms of flavor and aroma.

It is believed that poolish was first used in Poland before it became a commonly-used technique in Italian bakery products. Italian pizzerias often use Poolish to make true Neapolitan pizza.

What's the difference between poolish and biga?

Poolish is a pre-dough made with medium-strength flours. It can be prepared quickly, in as little as two hours, or over a longer period, like 12-18 hours. Poolish is great to use for a crispy crust or thin-crust pizza. Biga is a solid preferment that requires more time to ferment (from 16 to 48 hours). Biga requires strong, high-quality flours and precise temperature control. Biga is typically used for large loaves of bread and soft pizza crusts.

What's the difference between poolish and sourdough?

Poolish is a loose ferment usually made of equal parts water and flour by weight, with a small amount of store-bought yeast added. A sourdough starter is made with natural yeast, rather than store-bought.

What's the advantage of using poolish?

The main advantage of using poolish is shorter fermentation, but it is often used because of the moist, airy texture on the inside and thick, crisp skin on the outside that it creates.