I’ve just got a short post for you today, because I spent my weekend blogging time updating my deep dish/pan pizza post with less terrible photos.
I’ve been shredding my own mozzarella for ages, because the blocks are almost always cheaper.
And the blocks don’t have any ingredients but cheese, whereas the bagged stuff sometimes has odd ingredients added.
I’ve bought the 8 ounce blocks from Aldi for a while now, but recently, they had some of the larger, softer blocks of mozzarella, and I discovered that this type definitely tastes better on pizza.
Aldi doesn’t always have it, but regular grocery stores do. I buy the store brand sometimes, or the name brand if it’s on sale.
This is not the fresh mozzarella that you’d use for a Caprese salad…it’s just a medium-soft mozzarella and it usually comes in squares rather than rectangles.
It’s a little tricky to shred due to the softness, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized I could cut the square in half for easier shredding.
Duh.
(I use my box grater for shredding because it feels like less work than lugging out and then washing my food processor.)
So. That’s my small tip: Try the square mozzarella! It’s tasty!
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What cheese do you use when you make pizza? Do you noticed a difference between pre-shredded and shredded-at-home?
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About the deep dish pizza: I updated the deep dish pizza recipe with new photos that, while not perfect, are a sight better than the dark, yellow ones I took 7 years ago (!). The recipe should be more pinnably appetizing now.
Terri W.
Tuesday 1st of March 2016
Just adding a little tip I learned long ago. For those who hate to wash their food processors or blenders---after you empty out the cheese (or whatever food you have processed) fill it about half way with water and add a squirt of dish soap. Then run it on pulse for a few seconds, pour it out and it will be almost clean!
Jenni@DitchingOurDebt
Monday 29th of February 2016
We buy the big 5-lb (now 6-lb) block of mozzarella from Sam's Club. It works out to about $2/lb, so it's cheaper than Aldi's and is much softer. If I wrap the cheese tightly enough, most of the time it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. I don't like freezing smaller blocks usually because they crumble after they've been thawed, and I've tried preshredding everything too and then freezing it, but it's kind of a pain to get out of the bag because of moisture content, so I've resorted to the big block-in-the-fridge arrangement. I have to say, even though I'm a big Aldi fan, I like the Sam's Club cheese better too. I also buy their big 3-lb bags of pepperoni and freeze them in smaller 1-lb bags, and they are much cheaper and just as good as the Aldi brand.
CouponsGuy
Monday 29th of February 2016
I try to avoid buying anything that is cut into small pieces, as most of the time it's a lot more expensive than the product in its original shape. Seems as if the food companies think that as they have cut it up, they can now ask double for it. Also, as others have comented, often there are ingredients added that have nothing to do with the original, but are only there to make sure the small pieces don't stick together again.... Not good! So fully agree with you: Buy in one piece and then cut up or grind as you need it. This is cheaper and you know exactly what you get!
AFS
Monday 29th of February 2016
I've always purchased a 2# block of Mozzarella and shredded it w/ my food processor then stored the shreds in the freezer. Yes, they freeze together but are easily separated by slicing the mass with a knife.
Katsu
Monday 29th of February 2016
We buy high quality cheese on sale and shred it with the food processor, put in a ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer. Haven't had any problems with moldy cheese and it thaws in 2 seconds. Have gone to an almost 0 waste household when it comes to groceries going bad.
Kristen
Monday 29th of February 2016
That is awesome! Go, you!