Y is for Yay for Yeast and Yes to Pizza.

     Yeasty, crusty, chewy bread. Is there anything better? Oh wait, yes there is, Pizza. Which is made with yeasty, crusty, chewy bread, so really it is the best of all yeasty bread worlds. (Plus tomatoes are usually involved, and you know thats the clinch pin for me.)
     Those itty-bitty little micometer sized buds of yeast work a little bit of magic when comforted by a warm environment and given a little sugar to eat. Sounds kind of like people, right? Saccharomyces cerevisiae  is the species of budding yeast used for baking and fermenting, and therefore it is getting a special highlight today, so, sorry Candida, no love for your infectious ways right now. 

     The yeast we use is the "yeast with a sweet tooth." It will eat up sugar in any form; glucose, fructose or sucrose alike and will ultimately release the invisible, but important, ingredient CO2 gas. The release of this gas causes the dough to expand and because it is trapped in this elastic environment our precious dough is called to rise. The aroma of ethyl alcohol produced during the fermentation process is intoxicating. The whole process is intoxicating really, but I love to bake. In particular, I love to bake with yeast. I am not alone in my love for this stuff, it was used by Egyptians thousands of years ago to make fermented drinks and of course the Baby Jesus had his share of leavened breads. Maybe yeast was the 4th ingredient brought to his birth, "Here is the frankincense, myrrh and hey... where is George with the yeast?" It could have happened.    
     There is all different kinds of yeast too, used t0 make all different breads and cakes, so here is Red Star which can help you along with your quest for yeasty knowledge. But take a look at some expert baking books, bread bibles and other yeast related titles highlighting the tiny fungi. Great advice abound about this stuff, and you will only get better at using it with practice, and of course some patience. 
     In addition to yeast and all of its goodness it can produce, think about how these buds are the backbone of every kids favorite lunch day at school. The name of this bone? Pizza. 
     When you ask a grade school classroom, "what is your favorite food?" I can almost guarantee that the overwhelming result will be an uproarious yell to he heavens in the name of "Pizza!" Yeast made this kind of love happen. So it is with glee that I express my love for pizza and the yeast that got us there. 


     I heard a few phrases repeated multiple times yesterday as friends, family and neighbors grabbed a pillowy ball of dough. Flour eventually covering their clothes, basil stuck in some teeth and a smile of contentment across all the faces. Everyone was singing praises for pizza. One statement in particular, "I just can't get enough, I'm going in for another one" was a favorite of the group. The other "I love pizza" an obvious one but it always has to be said. The third most common "This is better than Mario Batalli". The third of course adds a little extra sparkle to our hosts eye. 

      Nothing gets the cockles of ones heart warm like handmade wood fire oven pizza. You could try your hand at building your own, but there are companies now that come out and build one for you. All I can request is that you have a pizza party. It is not only fun, but you learn a little something about everyone when they are faced with making their own. What toppings did they choose, how were they arranged, did they carefully construct the perfect bite, was pizza nirvana reached. Yesterday there were toppings galore, including the best tomato sauce ever, thinly sliced lemon, fresh scallops, briny capers, parmesan and blue cheeses, sweet caramelized onions, a purple hued avocado, as well as a lovely green pesto with tons of flavor. Obviously there was sausage, BBQ'd Chicken and bacon that I didn't partake in, but I can imagine it made damn tasty slice. 

    
      Another question, what is pizza without some good wine to go with it? It is the most appropriate beverage considering fermentation is involved in both wine and pizza making. But nothing on the table that day was better than the Syrah Mike and Melina provided for the group. The Miller Vineyards 05' Syrah with the black label was to die for. Rich and full like an dried apricot sized currant. So amazing with a spicy pie and totally worthy all on its own. The Qupe is always easy-peasy drinking, but without a doubt, the Miller was superior. 


     To say the least, it is weeks like these which remind me that food not only brings out the best in us but it bonds us for life. Sharing food with family and friends is key for not only a happy belly, but a happy soul. Until the next Mike and Melina (the noteworthy hosts and notoriously humorous M & M) pizza-oven-cook-a-thon I will be devising ways to not only reach pizza perfection but a crunchy, yeasty, crust that will knock the socks off an old Italian grandmother. 
     I smell an Iron Chef competition in the making, and it smells like melted cheese. Yum.  


Here is my go to pizza dough from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion - The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook pg.247. Since I am not equipped with my own brick wood fire pizza oven wonderfulness, I have to resort to a pizza stone in the oven. But still tastes pretty damn fine all the same. Enjoy!


Now or Later Pizza
Makes about two 10 - 13 inch pizza's with about 8 slices each


Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups (7 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 cups (7 1/4) ounces semolina*
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 Tbl. (7/8 ounce) extra virgin olive oil - Here is where I like to add dried herbs and spices for example oregano, thyme, lemon zest, chili flakes about 1 tbl total of the combined. It is soooo killer. 
• 9 to 10 ounces lukewarm water
• *Use 3 cups all-purpose flour in place of the all-purpose/semolina mixture, if desired

Directions:
1) Dough: Mix and knead together all of the dough ingredients, by hand, mixer or bread machine, till you’ve created a smooth, soft dough. Don’t over-knead the dough; it should hold together, but can still look fairly rough on the surface.

2) Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes; then refrigerate it for 4 hours (or up to 36 hours); this step will develop the crust’s flavor. It'll continue to rise in the fridge, so make sure it's in a big enough bowl.

3) Divide the dough in half.

4) Working with one piece of dough at a time, pick it up and let gravity gently stretch it into an oval. For a more circular shape, move your hands around the perimeter of the dough as it stretches. For thin-crust pizza, make a 12" round or oval. For thick-crust, make a 9" round.

5) Cover the dough, and let it rest while you heat your oven to 450°F. For thickest crust, let your 9" round pizza rest/rise for 60 minutes before baking.

6)  Baking: After about 30 minutes, use a giant spatula or pizza peel to transfer the pizzas and parchment to your hot oven stone; or place the pizzas and parchment on a pan, and place the pan on the middle rack of your oven.

7) Bake for 6 minutes (for a thinner, larger crust), or for up to 8 minutes for a smaller/thicker crust. Remove from the oven.

8) To enjoy pizza right away, top it with your favorite toppings, return to an upper rack of the oven (not to the stone), and bake for an additional 8 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbly.

9) To serve pizzas some other time, remove the parchment, cool the un-topped crusts, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days; or freeze for up to 4 weeks.

10) When you’re ready to serve, remove the crusts from the refrigerator or freezer. While they warm to room temperature, heat your oven to 450°F; frozen crusts should be taken out of the freezer and thawed earlier in the day; leave them in the bag, but leave the bag open as they thaw. Top crusts with your favorite toppings and place them on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet, then on an upper rack of the oven. Bake the pizzas for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbly.