Poolish “Zaczyn”
This particular leavening process has its origins in Poland and dates back to 1840. It was introduced to France by bakers in the 1920s and is often referred to as "poolish," derived from the old English term "polish." In Polish, "poolish" translates to "zaczyn," which means a starter. The flavor and texture of the bread heavily rely on the careful development of this starter. Traditionally, bakers would reserve some dough from one day to kickstart the next day's batch. This is the method I consistently employ for crafting breads and baguettes, resulting in a truly remarkable crust on the bread.
Yield: 700g of Poolish
Ingredients:
350g Spring Water or Dark Ale (stout or porter which gives more flavour and more live to poolish) - room temperature
300g White bread flour
50g rye flour
5g fresh yeast
Instructions:
Rub yeast into flour with your fingertips until well distributed.
Add water or beer and mix it well.
Cover with clear plastic bag secured with elastic band.
Let it rest in room temperature for 4- 5 hours, until the mixture is well risen and bubbly.
Poolish is now ready for your culinary adventure such as baguettes, pizza dough or other delicious breads.
These are some examples of what you can make with poolish. I had many people enjoying my breads over the last 10 years. I hope you will have the same gratification in your bake offs.