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1
Whisk yeast into 120 grams ( cup) warm water to dissolve and stir in flour.
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2
(Mixture will be dry.)
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3
Knead in remaining 55 grams (a scant 1/4 cup) water and knead in bowl until a dough is formed.
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4
Turn out onto a clean surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
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5
(Do not add extra flour; biga will become less sticky as it is kneaded.)
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6
Put in a clean bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
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7
Chill in refrigerator 16 to 18 hours.
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8
(Biga will not rise perceptibly.)
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9
Let biga stand, still covered, in a warm place until instant-read thermometer registers 7578F, about 1 hour.
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10
Chop 170 grams (or scant half) of biga recipe.
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11
(Leftover biga keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days.)
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12
Whisk yeast into 60 grams (1/4 cup) warm water to dissolve in a large bowl and stir in yogurt, chopped biga, whole-wheat flour, salt, oil, and bread flour.
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13
Knead in enough of remaining 60 grams (1/4 cup) warm water, a little at a time, to make dough workable.
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14
(Dough will be sticky.)
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15
Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead, occasionally scraping up dough stuck to surface with dough scraper, 10 minutes.
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16
(If dough becomes too sticky to knead easily, periodically flour hands, not work surface; dough will become less sticky as kneaded.)
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17
Gradually knead in any remaining water and continue to knead dough until smooth, satiny, and stretchy, about 10 minutes.
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18
Put in a clean bowl and dust very lightly with flour.
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19
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.
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20
Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and stretch into a rectangle.
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21
Fold into thirds, like a letter, then stretch and fold again in same manner.
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22
Return to bowl and let rise, covered, 1 hour.
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23
Repeat stretching and folding process and let rise again, covered, 1 hour.
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24
Halve dough and shape each half into an 8-inch log on work surface.
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25
Dust very lightly with flour and let rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
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26
Put pizza stone on rack in middle of oven and preheat to 525F.
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27
(Allow 1 hour to preheat with stone.)
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28
Stretch each dough log into a roughly 13- by 6-inch rectangle and brush lightly with water.
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29
Dimple dough with your fingertips and sprinkle with nigella seeds and sea salt.
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30
Dimple dough again and let stand, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature 45 minutes.
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31
Generously sprinkle baker's peel with cornmeal.
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32
Holding 1 rectangle at each end, pick up and transfer to bakers.
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33
(Dough will stretch.)
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34
Re-form into rectangle and dimple once more.
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35
Jerk peel once or twice; if dough sticks, lift and sprinkle more cornmeal underneath.
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36
Working quickly, mist oven with 4 squirts of water from spray bottle.
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37
Line up far edge of peel with far edge of stone and tilt peel, jerking it gently to start dough moving.
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38
When edge of dough touches stone, quickly pull back peel to transfer dough to stone.
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39
Mist oven again with 4 squirts from spray bottle and bake flatbread until golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes.
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40
Transfer to a rack and while still hot, brush with some of butter.
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41
Sweep burned cornmeal off pizza stone with a cloth before baking remaining flatbread in same manner.
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42
Serve warm or at room temperature.
