Spending time indoors is not always easy. Once we cleaned all the most forgotten corners, other valid alternatives must then be found. We read books, we do gardening, we follow tutorials to practice fitness. Then there are Netflix movies and series always too short even if they last 8 seasons! Are we a little greedy? Oh yes, especially when it comes to yeast and flour!
Yeast: the mystery of the out of stock product
Yeast is definitely the most wanted, the most sought after ingredient. And we realize it just when we think we had the perfect idea! That is, to prepare a focaccia, a pizza or, why not, some stuffed bread. And then, still not happy, we also experiment some “exotic” recipes: we make Pan Pita, the Greek one! So armed with good intentions we go to the supermarket. We have already planned everything, even the day of the week when we will give vent to our cooking skills! Shopping ticket in hand we reach the shelf in question with a pompous step. But when we get therea weird surprise awaits us.
That shelf, we usually scarcely bothered to look at it, is now EMPTY! Empty? How is it possible? Oh, our original gimmick! Want to see that that someone, perhaps more than “someone”, had the same idea? Yes, that’s right, you should we not be surprised. We are Italians and plenty of time also abounds with food. For a few weeks we have been wearing the “chef’s hat” and dressed in this way we are improvising pastry chefs, cooks and above all bakers! Here is the maximum peak of the assault on yeast stocks has perhaps been reached in recent days. A product that has never been so snapped up, today it has become suddenly precious!
Precious gifts
People with culinary aspirations cannot be left “dry-mouthed”! Even if we can buy bread, scones and derivatives. But no, now that we have so much time we want to enjoy devoting ourselves to those slow processes in which waiting preludes to the full flavour. Let’s not forget that we are the land of pizza, a dish that makes us known all over the world! Which certainly does not mean that we know how to make excellent ones at home … however, we try! This is why there are other lootings alongside the yeast, albeit to a lesser degree. Flour and sauce. So what can we do?
Some cities have thought to remedy the shortage of these products in supermarkets through special gifts. So in Bologna a local pastry shop decided to distribute flour and yeast to the residents. But that’s not all, this gesture was followed by another that fully expresses the sense of gratitude that we all owe to doctors and nurses. Here, therefore, a tray of succulent donuts was offered to the health workers of the Covid-19 departments. The same tribute of yeast and flour took place in a small town in the Salerno area, in Perito, where the gifts were accompanied by the words of the Mayor. “Flour symbolizes rebirth, yeast transformation, we have entrusted our message of closeness to these two ingredients”.
Homemade preparations
But whether yeast is impossible to find, we can always opt for a home-made preparation. What do we need? Few and simple ingredients. Flour and water but also patience and time. One hundred grams of water at room temperature to mix with fifty grams of wheat flour. We form a homogeneous and possibly smooth ball. Then we engrave the surface by drawing a cross with the tip of a small knife and put it all in a glass jar covered with transparent film. It is important not to seal the package that will have to be punctured, using a toothpick, so that the yeast can breathe.
Then keep the jar in a cool and dry place for 48 hours, preferably next to the ripening fruit. If you have apples at home, so much the better! Among the preparatory ingredients we mentioned time and patience. In fact, yeast needs to be freshen up cyclically 4 times in two days. Each time we have to add the same initial quantities of water and flour. In the last steps yeast should be freshen up every 24 hours for two weeks. A well-made sourdough is tripled compared to its initial volume. For a long-lasting storage it is advisable to put everything in the refrigerator, on the contrary if you plan to use it in a short time leave it at room temperature. You are now ready to make focaccias, pizzas and any other recipe you like.
