Add downtown San Diego’s 8-month-old Biga to the list of places with authentic-tasting Italian cuisine. But while the perfectly al dente pasta tastes like Mamma made it and the 200-year-old “biga,” or ...

I look at my chunk of bread. Just think, Napoleon ate this. Could have. Really. This bread. That’s how long it’s been going. Back in 1815, Battle of Waterloo and all that, this exact same family of ...

3 3/4 cups (about 17 ounces) all-purpose flour or a mix of all-purpose and bread flour Instructions: For biga (the starter), mix 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1/4 teaspoon yeast. Let stand until yeast ...

I've been working on this Italian ciabatta for a couple of weeks, writing about the process as I go. I'm not sure where it will all end up, but it has been fun. This bread is made with a biga, or a ...