Can't find yeast for pizza

nobodythere

Hi ho,
I'm trying to make pizza from scratch as per http://www.billyreisinger.com/pizza.php , but I'm having some trouble finding two things,

the first is active yeast (non-quick kind). I've tried the megadebopolopilis of Dunnes and Tesco's but they only have the quick kind used for making bread. Does anyone know anywhere that I can get this?

The second is a pizza screen, wire meshed kind of thing. I have a pizza tray, a 12" thing with say 30 big-ish holes in it but I don't know if this will do or not.

Any advice?

CJhaughey

I use doves farm yeast for my pizza's, It is a rectangular vacuum sealed pack that is orange in colour and it works very well for me.
I also use their strong white flour.
I haven't seen those pizza screens but maybe you could use a spatter guard if you take the plastic handle off it?

noby

I have the same type tray. Works fine. I also just usa a baking tray. I keep my bases thin, and they're more crispy on the pizza tray one, but I like both types.

I just use bread yeast (McDougals or something). Like Doves it is a quick yeast. All this means is you don't have to prove it a second time, but I usually do. Don't know why your man is dead against it.

Celticfire

I also use the quick yeast and the tray you have, they both work fine. I find that if you make the base thin it works out fine.
One tip I have for you tho is if your oven has a setting for the heat to only come from the bottom you can put the tray on the wire shelf near the bottom and cook for the first 12-14mins using that element only and then finish it off with 2mins fan oven.

nobodythere

Cheers for the replies,

so I can use the McDougal's quick yeast stuff and the pizza tray with the big holes and get away ok with it without having to do anything else?

CJhaughey

I tried the spatter guard idea out last night and I must say it makes a really crispy base.
I used to use a shallow 12" flan tin but the spatterguard works even better as it has a handle to remove it from the oven.

biaduit

I've seen live yeast in the fridge at Fallon & Byrne a few times. Tend to use the dried stuff myself find it's the flour that makes the real difference using hard bread flour rather than the normal plain flour.

Magic Monkey

You have basically three kinds of yeast for bread making: Active Dried, Quick (also known as "Instant"), and Fresh. Using Quick over Active Dried won't make so much difference in terms of flavour. Quick yeast is superior over the other two in that it is the most concentrated of the three kinds (see below), it keeps longer, and that you can simply add it directly to the flour instead of re-activating it (as for the active dried) in a warm water and sugar solution.

100 percent fresh yeast = 40 to 50 percent active dried = 33 percent quick

As noby said, the Mcdougalls Fast Action Dried Yeast is a Quick yeast, which would work fine for a pizza dough, and is readily available in both Dunnes and Tescos. One thing I would do differently to Reisinger's recipe is to leave the dough in the refrigerator overnight, to allow for extra flavour development - there is a another great Pizza recipe here.

adonis

a smattering of semolina flour is also important for the base of a pizza

oblivious

The best investment I have made was buying a pizza stone


If your interest you could get you yeast the natural way, by a grape starter

Here is a link http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread/recipe-grapeyeast.html

Supercell

I use this recipie with McDougalls Fast Action Bread Yeast (available in Tesco, Dunnes etc). Change the servings to 12 in the webpage above and you get one standard 7g sachet recipie.

This makes me 4 good sized 9" + pizzas.

I usually make one and freeze the dough in three separate freezer bags - freezing doesn't kill the yeast at all.

If I've spare time I just make a pizza base and cook it for a couple of mins and then freeze it for future usage.

Once you have made home made pizza you won't want to go back Domino's etc.

No e numbers, tastes better and costs less.

Also get a pizza stone, well worth it

antoniosicily

if the yeast is dried (I don't know if you can find fresh yeast in ireland) just dissolve it in a glass of tepid water. One of the most important thing, in this case, is to use the right mix of flours, I would use a consistent percentage of extra-strong flour (I'm talking about 18% protein), some strong flour (over 12% protein) and just a quick percentage of OO flour (10% protein), once you get the right mix, the yeast will behave better

nobodythere

Hey, made my first pizza going on what I had, instant yeast, pizza tray. It turned out pretty well for my first time. Shaping the dough proved a bit of a challenge

You're right, I couldn't go back to Four Star/Dominos after doing that. It's great knowing that what you're eating you made from scratch and it just tastes more... authentic than that crap you buy.

oblivious

grasshopa wrote:

Hey, made my first pizza going on what I had, instant yeast, pizza tray. It turned out pretty well for my first time. Shaping the dough proved a bit of a challenge

You're right, I couldn't go back to Four Star/Dominos after doing that. It's great knowing that what you're eating you made from scratch and it just tastes more... authentic than that crap you buy.

Amen, bother!

linker3000

If you're really keen to try fresh yeast, try asking in your local bakers shop - they may sell or give you some.

enda1

Superquinn sell fresh yeast. I always use fresh yeast. It gives a far better flavour.

Tar.Aldarion

grasshopa wrote:

Hey, made my first pizza going on what I had, instant yeast, pizza tray. It turned out pretty well for my first time. Shaping the dough proved a bit of a challenge

You're right, I couldn't go back to Four Star/Dominos after doing that. It's great knowing that what you're eating you made from scratch and it just tastes more... authentic than that crap you buy.

Heya, myself and the missus make pizzas, I don't think you should particularly mind about getting it round tbh. Good luck, they taste great when made yourself, and I hate pizza.