Poolish: the liquid preferment
A liquid, equal-parts preferment that gives a light, open crumb and a gentle tang.
What is poolish?
Poolish is a liquid preferment made with equal weights of flour and water (100% hydration) plus a tiny amount of yeast, left to ferment 8–16 hours. The name nods to the Polish bakers who popularized the technique, which spread through France and is now common in pizza.
Because it's a loose batter, poolish ferments fast and evenly.
Why bakers use it
The high water content keeps enzymes and yeast very active, so poolish develops a lot of aroma quickly. It lends extensibility — the dough stretches easily — a slightly milky-tangy flavor, and an open, alveolar crumb.
It's a favorite when you want lighter, airier pizza.
The classic ratio
Equal flour and water, with yeast scaled to time and temperature: roughly 0.1% fresh yeast for a ~16 h poolish, up to ~0.5% for a quick ~8 h one (instant dry yeast is about a third of those amounts).
In pizza you typically pre-ferment 20–40% of the total flour as poolish.
How to know it's ready
Whisk the poolish until smooth and cover it. It's ripe when the surface is covered in bubbles and just beginning to dome and recede in the center — a dome means peak; a collapsing center means slightly past, but still usable.
Then mix it with the rest of the flour, water and salt.
When to choose poolish
Use poolish when you want maximum extensibility and an open, light crumb with a touch of tang — great for Neapolitan and contemporary pizza. For a drier, sturdier, milder dough, biga is the better match.
Build a poolish recipe in the calculator →
FAQ
Why is it called poolish?
The technique is traditionally credited to Polish bakers in the 19th century; it later became a staple of French baking and, eventually, pizza.
How much yeast goes in a poolish?
Very little, scaled to time — around 0.1% fresh yeast for a long (16 h) poolish, up to ~0.5% for a short (8 h) one.