Mozzarella cheese for pizza

EGGARY

Is fresh mozzarella in liquid good for pizza ? I can remember when eating pizza the cheese was stringy when bitten into. Nowadays pizza is nothing special.

Gary

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Sure is....Can't say it will string though. That's got something to do with something I know nothing about. If only my father-in-law were still with us. He was a REAL cheese guy!
Anyway: Slice it atop your sauce, pile on the makings, just a few more slices atop that and bake your pie.
You will be surprised with the difference between the sliced and the grated!

Little Chef

GTI....The fresh mozzarella packed in brine is usually meant for consumption cold, such as a caprese salad and such. Tends to turn into liquid when cooked.
Suggestion....Use the "fresh" mozzarella that still comes in a block, and shred it yourself. The fresh in the block has still had most of the whey drained from it, but the balls of mozzarella in the brine are VERY soft! You will NOT get a stringy result there.
We continue to use a combination of the blocks we grate, and the pre-packaged pre-grated cheeses, and have not been disappointed. The biggest mistake is using too much. Make a PLAIN cheese pizza....cook it....eat it....and adjust from there.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

LC...
I haven't had the problem with the fresh getting too liquidly (is that really a word?) but it is REAL soft and sometimes difficult to slice well! Some is better than other, I might also add! Maybe it has to do with the age of the cheese??!!??
Part of it could be the "don't use too much" thing that you mention. I'm on that boat and use very little cheese compared to some!
I agree that a cheese pizza is good, but I like all the other "stuff" best and in my mind that "stuff" is the star...The cheese is just a complement.
For what ever it is worth, I also like to use some feta on my pies. Again very little, crumbled atop.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a somewhat related question that perhaps LC will know the answer to:
Seems I read somewhere that packaged / shredded cheese is treated / coated with something (don't remember what) that helps keep it from sticking together, but also won't let it melt very nicely.
Any input?

Little Chef

Spuds...I too agree...a cheese pizza is pretty ho-humm. However, it is truly the best way to determine if you are headed in the right direction for a quality pie. I always try a cheese pie in any new change I try, just to get a baseline read on the quality. I have ruled out certain brands of cheese, and sanctioned others that surprised me. Just helps to give a good base line.... When making changes in dough, sauce, cheeses, etc....I do a plain cheese pie first to see how the improvements (or not) have gone. Just my approach...not saying it is "right". But it has worked for me.

Little Chef

Spuds...It is true...Packaged shredded cheeses are treated with anti caking agents such as powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate or potato starch. These are harmless ingredients for consumption, and "they", the manufacturers, 'claim' there is no impact on the melting properties. I, like you, am not totally sold. That is why I combine the freshly shredded (at home) cheeses with the pre-packaged on our pizzas. It seems to work well for us if we mix. (I guess I am too lazy or too tired to make our pies with ONLY the freshly shredded....perhaps I need to add that to my busy agenda....) :blink: :pinch: :laugh: If I have the opportunity and energy to try pies with all freshly shredded cheeses at home, I will let you know the results.
Take care!

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

That's a BIG 10-4 LC! And, it seems to me to be a GOOD approach.
A good pie seems to be an ongoing experiment around here...But then again, I'm always off in another direction searching for another taste! And...This is not contained to just making a pizza :ohmy: !!
Maybe that's the fun of it all...The Journey is the Reward !

Little Chef

Spuds...Trust me! I am forever in search of new flavor combinations, etc, in ALL meals! :laugh: Perhaps I blame it on my industry, but I find base line readings to be critical for future consistency....OK...ok...Anal...I admit it. One of the things I have always said, and believe with all my heart....The day I stop learning about, or from food, I will hang up my knives. It is the most amazing adventure!!! :woohoo: :laugh:

Rascal

While growing up in NYC I had the opportunity to enjoy some of the best pizza on the planet! The crust was thin, and most often one's arm wasn't long enough as the strands of mozzarella stretched on & on! Hard to find pizza like that anymore and whatever brand of cheese (whole milk) I buy seems to vulcanize when cooked...

Garnerac

Here in Texas HEB sells an shredded "Italian Mix" that is very good. I dont think it has the anti caking agent as it is very sticky. You have to really break it up to spread it on a pie.
It's mostly mozzarella but has some Ramano mixed in.

icemncmth

Fresh is OK to use but like other have said.

If you are looking for "stringy" cheese than stay away from water packed cheese.

Now understand that if you buy pre-shredded cheese it is coated with a powder (most use corn starch) to keep it from clumping. This will also keep your cheese from being stringy.

The best thing to do is by bock cheese and shred it yourself. Or use fresh sliced cheese. One trick to use a low temp melting cheese like Havarti or montery jack. Mix several cheeses to get the flavor you want.

Most people comment on the pizzas I make and tell me they taste so good and want to know what I do that is so different from other people. I use fresh toppings and mix my cheese. Oh..and I use a starter in my dough.

mkc

Rascal wrote:

the strands of mozzarella stretched on & on! Hard to find pizza like that anymore and whatever brand of cheese (whole milk) I buy seems to vulcanize when coo
ked...

Try Grande brand, especially the East Coast Blend (50/50 part skim and whole) available from www.pennmac.com I also grew up in NY and Grande gives our pizzas the flavor and stringiness we remember.

Their Ezzo pepperoni is pretty darned good, too.

I found out about PennMac, Grande, and Ezzo on the pizzamaking.com board (which I learned about here).

Rascal

Thnak you, I'll check them out!! 8 - )

Judy Mayberry

I heard this very recently (wracking my brain, can't remember where):

The fresh mozzarella balls in Italy are made with buffalo milk, and do not collapse and get all runny when baked like the cows milk fresh mozzarella here in the U.S. You may be able to get mozzarella di bufala at an Italian deli.

It is a wonderful pizza cheese.

Judy
San Diego

Carolina Q

I read somewhere that buffalo mozz is available in some Whole Foods markets. Haven't checked mine though. Never heard of the stuff til recently, but would like to try some.