In classic Brooklyn Maltese form, I will build this up to fever pitch only to culminate with a disappointing finish.
The specialized ingredients are assembled and at the ready.
This 100% durum semolina flour bread, calls for a total hydration (including the C.Y. biga) is 89%.
After a bit of research I now know what the traditional shape is. I am thinking one traditional loaf, and the one rustic baggy. 
was definitely ahead of her day. The first edition of her book came out in 1985, and used cups and grams for the flour. Water was in cups, but salt in tsp and, mostly, in grams too.
The Kindle ebook version of her book, 2nd edition, is still only $4.99 US:
https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Baker-Revised-Countryside-Its-Focaccia-ebook/dp/B004N63694?tag=froglallabout-20
The hard copy of the 2nd edition is still expensive in new and used conditions, but you can get used copies of the first edition relatively inexpensively, like $7 plus $4 s/h:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0061812668?tag=froglallabout-20
(I have the new edition in Kindle, and the 1st edition in hardcover.)
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I have gone through maybe 30 to 40 pounds of durum flour (not gritty semolina flour) over the years for bread-machine bread, yeasted artisan style, and flatbread/pizza.
Though I don't specifically remember doing any 100% durum formulas.
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I do want to share something important for the general audience: keep track of whether you are using refined (ie, no bran, no germ) durum flour or whole grain durum, and match it with your formula.
"Fancy" and "Extra Fancy" durum flours are refined, as is "semola rimacinata".
I brought this by the pound at my specialty pizza supply house. I kind of remember the bag said extra fancy. How exactly does this effect my procedure? My kindle version of the book gives the water in weight too. Thanks for any help.
I just double-checked both editions, and you're right: she doesn't say "refined" nor "whole grain" ("integrale" in Italian).
My belief is that "refined" is customarily implied if the speaker/writer does not give further specifics.
In the 2nd edition, she does specify that she's talking about the smooth flour, not the gritty semolina, but leaves the extraction (refined vs. whole-grain) still unsaid.
The 2nd edition uses oven steaming for this loaf, but the 1st edition does not.
I think you'll be good-to-go with that flour.
Next time I hit the pizza supply spot, I will double check the bag for a brand and other info. Thanks for the tip, on buying flour by the pound. I have the second addition. Her steaming method is old school and mostly I don't use ice anymore. It makes since, if you think about it, ice will only waste BTU's.
my reporting back on using the Atta durum flour, which does include some bran. It was almost indistinguishable from the standard semola rimacinata and I won't hesitate to use it exactly as I otherwise use semola r.
If you're a purist, then nothing else will do. This flour meets my standards and "needs".
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/64360/senatore-cappelli-flour-usa#comment-459843
Most, likely going to get the extra, extra fancy again from Sansone market in Franklyn Sq. I need to get pizza cheese and Rosa grande pepperoni anyway. I am going to use the small amount I have left to start building the durum wheat 50% hydration levian today. I am going to do 75% total hydration, for the bread. I toyed with the idea of mimicking "yesterdays bread" with a 75% hydration levian. I'll try and take a couple of photos at Sansone, very cool place. They are a wholesale establishment that delivers to Pizza joints all over NY. They would allow us regular joes into the warehouse to buy retail. That was really cool! Long story short they build a building one block away and opened a dedicated retail spot!
Thanks again.
Which edition has the Altamira bread formula?
Yippee
I have the Kindle, not the hard copy. Well worth the $5.00 bucks!
Yippee, both editions of "The Italian Baker" have the formula for Altamura bread.
Will was right to reduce the hydration of the biga from what is given in the 2nd edition.
The biga for Altamura in the 1st edition is 76.7% hydration.
The biga for Altamura in the 2nd edition is 90-something %, which isn't a biga. (Also, If you follow the 2nd edition's formula exactly, the total hydration will be noticeably more than the total hydration of the 1st edition.)
Local Breads, by Daniel Leader, also has several durum formulas: a yeasted loaf, a sourdough loaf, and 2 sourdough focaccia.
For that information. I did kind of remember from Hamelman's rustic bread that a biga was a low hydration concoction. I think just removing that 60grams, made a world of difference in the final dough, as well as the finale outcome! Thanks for confirming. You know, people rave about The Italian baker. I don't find it to be clear and concise enough to warrant such accolades. But hey that is just one simple mans opinion. I do like the premise and the recipes in general.
of your bread, Will?
Yippee
Came out to a wet but very manageable 82%.
the pages out from an Ebook? I need to make notes the old-fashioned way when I bake.
Yippee
I am pretty sure the answer is no. However, you could screen shot the page, then print the resulting PNG file.