Types of Cheese for Pizza | The Home Pizzeria Types of Cheese for Pizza Tips for Using Cheese What is the best pizza cheese? Without a doubt Mozzarella. However it is not the only option when it comes to cheese for your pizza. There are lots of flavorful cheeses you can use to create your favorite pie. From dry Italian cheeses to a creamy blue cheese béchamel sauce, try them individually or mix and match to discover your favorite flavor combination. Many of your more pungent varieties make wonderful accent flavors that add that gourmet spark to your pizza when combined with complimenting ingredients. Mozzarella – The Official Cheese for Pizza Mozzarella comes in three main varieties. Fresh mozzarella, deli mozzarella and whatever that stuff is in the big brand cheese isle. If you have never used fresh mozzarella you simply must give it a try. Deli Mozzarella When you want shredded mozzarella cheese, the best cheese to use is deli-style mozzarella. Most grocery stores sell mozzarella from a block in their deli department. Instead of getting it sliced, just ask for a chunk and shred it at home later with a box grater .

Using deli cheese instead of bagged shredded mozzarella cheese will provide a richer and creamier cheese flavor and often it comes out to be cheaper by the pound as well. Best Mozzarella Brand Amongst the readily available brands of deli mozzarella there is overall little difference and certainly not enough to go out of one’s way to obtain a specific brand. I do however lean toward the Whole Foods whole milk mozzarella, usually sold in pre-cut block custom wrapped by the deli, when needing a shredded cheese for a pizza. It is slightly closer to fresh mozzarella in it’s consistency than other brands however still a deli style mozzarella. It melts well and has a rich creamy taste. Whole Milk Mozzarella vs. Part Skim Milk Mozzarella The biggest difference you will find between deli mozzarella is varieties made from whole milk and part skim milk. The whole milk mozzarella, with only a gram or two more fat per serving has more flavor with a more creamy cheese texture. Overall the use of whole milk and additional fat gives it a more satisfying taste; because of that, you will likely use less of the whole milk mozzarella cheese to get the same satisfying cheese taste than you will of the part-skim mozzarella.

Ultimately making the decrease in fat a non issue for those watching their fat intake; which is the case for most low fat foods. Fresh Mozzarella Fresh mozzarella should be your standard go-to cheese for pizza. This style of mozzarella cheese is the classic Italian pizza cheese and its minimal processing offers up a fresh taste with a light and creamy texture. It comes in many different shapes and sizes and breaks apart easily but cannot be shredded like the drier mozzarella cheeses you may be accustomed to. Fresh mozzarella is widely available and often sold in round eight ounce balls, vacuum sealed or sitting in a bowl of whey at your local deli counter. It does have a short shelf life and once opened should be used within a week. When using fresh mozzarella on your pizza keep it in larger slices spaced out. This prevents the cheese from getting overheated and destroying the flavors but due to the lightness of fresh mozzarella the cheese will melt down and spread across the pie as it cooks. This also gives you a variety of flavors with each bite; some may have more cheese and others more sauce to provide you with a unique experience with each slice. Smoked Fresh Mozzarella Smoked mozzarella is a smoke-cured cheese made from fresh mozzarella.

Smoked mozzarella is most commonly available in 8 ounce balls and has a yellowish-brown outer skin. The edible skin is created from exposure to smoke during the smoking process. The texture is a bit drier due to the smoking process than the standard, fresh mozzarella but has a strong, smoky flavor on the outside and a lighter flavor on the inside. Consider using smoked mozzarella mixed with standard, fresh mozzarella as an accent flavor. Smoked mozzarella is generally available at specialty grocery and cheese stores and has a longer shelf life than standard, fresh mozzarella. Sizes of Fresh Mozzarella Fresh mozzarella is known by various names depending on its size and shape. The pound log and half pound balls are the most common sizes found in grocery stores and are the perfect size for slicing. The other sizes are much smaller including ovoline (4oz), bocconcini (1.5oz), ciliegine (13g), noccioline (9g), perle (4g) and finally, perline (1g). Fresh mozzarella can be found either at the deli counter or pre-packaged in the refrigerated cheese section.

Provolone Aged or Italian Provolone Provolone is a semi-hard Italian cheese which is similar to Provola and Provoleta. In the United States Italian Provolone is often referred to as Aged Provolone. The taste of Provolone can vary depending on the length of aging from a sweet mild flavor with a more creamy texture, short aging time, to a distinct piquant taste and dryer texture, longer aging time. Any variety makes an excellent cheese to mix in with mozzarella to add a bit more flavor to it or as a final garnish after cooking. Deli Provolone In the United States there is also a type of cheese called Provolone that is sold at most deli counters, usually in a round log. This type of provolone can be a great cheese to use for pizza; slightly drier than deli mozzarella but still melts well. It does have a miniscule difference in flavor but would be over shadowed by any toppings and nothing like its Italian counterpart. If you want the provolone flavor opt for an italian or aged variety mixed with with shredded mozzarella.

Aged Italian Hard Cheeses Authentic Aged Italian Hard cheeses are amazing additions to any pizza either grated or shaved they add the finishing touch that will make your pizza shine. However due to their delicate flavors and dryness you should never put them in the oven. Heat destroys the flavor of all cheeses to some degree and there is just no reason to cook these cheeses. Most people has had the American made versions of these cheeses generally labeled as Parmesan, not the Kraft grated cheese, and Romano sold in wedges; they are good in their own right but do not compare to the complex piquant flavors of the authentic Italian variety. Parmigiano Reggiano Parmigiano Reggiano is the DOP (Denominazione di origine protetta) and PDO (Protected designation of origin) certified product from Parma, Italy that has been aged for 12-36 months. This shouldn’t be confused with products labeled as Parmesan which is aged generally less than 9 months and substantially inferior in flavor, made from cows fed more than just grass and hay and from pasteurized milk.

Parmigiano Reggiano has a more crumbly texture, nutty flavor that is far more intense and created using natural techniques and strict breed and diet from the cows. It also contains a significantly less salt, the high salt levels in American made Parmesan cheese is a major contributor to its flavor . Grana Padano Grana Padano is also a DOP and PDO certified cheese from Italy aged 8-20 months with varieties aged over 20 months designated as Grana Padano Riserva. It is similar in taste to Parmigiano Reggiano but with less stringent laws governing its production area, breed and diet of cows and thus the cheese tends to be less expensive. Pecorino Romano Pecorino Romano is a DOP and PDO certified cheese made in Tuscany from sheep milk and aged 8 or more months. The aging process and use of sheep’s milk gives this cheese the most unique piquant flavor of the three cheeses. Ramono made in the United States is generally labeled as just Romano and is often made from mostly if not all cow’s milk and aged for a shorter amount of time resulting in a more bland cheese in comparison to authentic Pecorino Romano.

Smoked Gouda Smoked Gouda is a smoke cured yellow cheese made from cow’s milk from Gouda, Netherlands. The cheese has an editable skin and is generally on the creamier side in texture like young wax sealed Gouda wheels but with a strong smoky flavor. The cheese is best used diced up on pizza as it doesn’t melt well but when warmed does have a very thick creamy texture. It combines well with bacon, caramelized onions, or roasted vegetables. Works great mixed one part Smoked Gouda with four parts Mozzarella. Blue (Bleu) Cheese Crumbled Blue Cheese combines well with fresh bright flavored vegetables such as cherry tomato and arugula. You can use it crumbled on the bottom layer or create a blue cheese béchamel sauce as the sauce layer. The natural molds that create the distinct flavor of blue cheese can be quite strong so a lot can go a long way. Cream Cheeses (Goat Cheese, Cream Cheese, Boursin and Mascarpone) Cream style cheeses can be a great alternative cheese as they can be used alone or infused with herbs and other flavors. Try using these as a spread on crust of a flat bread pizza or as small chunks scattered over the dough.

These cheeses are best to use cold and on the bottom as they burn easily. Tips When Using Cheese on Pizza Use cold cheese to prevent cheese from over cooking and possibly burning. Don’t use too much cheese. 4-6 ounces of cheese is an appropriate amount of cheese for a 13″ thin crust or NYC style pizza. Cheeses to avoid on pizza: processed cheese or oily cheeses such as Velveeta, American cheese and Cheddar or pre-shredded cheese. Always add hard cheeses after the pizza has cooked to preserve their deliciate flavors. When shredded they will soften quickly with the residual heat from the pizza. Share this post Fran Great suggestions! Thanks! We are traveling to other parts of the world and the types of cheese we normally use at home are not available. This provides a good list to use when shopping. Brian York Thanks Fran. There so many great cheeses to try. I have recently found Montgomery Farms Cheddar at a local store here in Chicago that I have fallen in love with. . Used it in this recipe just recently but its great to snack on anytime. Big Russ Carrey what’s up bro.. love your pizza site ..

lots of good info Brian York Thanks Big Russ, poured a lot of time into this so it’s always wonderful to hear! If you use instagram, facebook or twitter share any pizza pics @thehomepizzeria. Would love to see what you are making. Trinity Thanks for the great advice! Ben Smoked Gouda! Wicked. Why hadn’t I thought of that? Katrina Byskal I’m trying to find the perfect blend to make a three cheese pizza bu I’m finding that Parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella are causing a salty taste that is outweighing the richer tastes of the mozzarella and dough…..any suggestions Brian York Hi Katrina, Avoid Cheddar would be my first suggestion, it is too oily for pizza. If you are getting too much of a salty taste its probably due to too much Parmesan as it has a very strong salty flavor. Use it sparingly. If you want to make a 3 cheese blend I’d give Mozzarella, Provolone and Monterey Jack. You can also try Gouda or Smoked Gouda (non the aged goudas). Consider using any hard / aged cheeses as an accent cheese, ideally after you finish cooking as a garnish.

sahil paul I am in India. How do I create the liquid cheese stuffed inside “Cheese Burst” Base of Domino’s Pizza? Or else if it is available ready made, I would buy that. Brian York Roll the edges of your pizza dough with shredded mozzarella cheese inside before you top it. If you eat eggs do an egg wash at the seam to seal them, or just brush with water. Bake at a lower temperature. About 400°f, use the pan pizza dough. alex maeba Hi i can suggest that best cheese makes pizza brown bread and not oily is mozzarella Luis Fahmy Can i know how to make my pizza cheese really stretchy? Do i need to mix the mozarella with other cheese? tq Brian York Hi Luis, I don’t think there is anything you can do to cheese after its made to make it more stretchy(stringy?). More than anything this varies by brand and usually not a trait of fresh mozzarella but more typical of a processed cheese. Whole milk mozzarella block cheese’s sold by restaurant food distributors would be the place too look, and not at your local grocery. The closest you will get is Whole Food’s whole milk mozzarella chunks.

You could also try using sliced whole milk mozzarella cheese from the deli instead of shreaded / shreading it yourself. What is the reason you are needing it to be stretchy? Daniel Hockenberry You ever have pizza from somewhere that has a slightly soured taste, I like that strong taste but have no idea of what kind of cheese it is. Kunadevi Anand Types of Cheese Used on Pizzas Types of Cheese Used on Pizzas Types of Cheese Used on Pizzas For most consumers, there is only one type of cheese used on a pizza: mozzarella. The classic white cheese is a staple on a pizza, used in almost every type of pizza imaginable. It became popular thanks to the Margherita pizza, so named after Margherita of Savoy who had a pizza containing tomato, mozzarella, and basil made in her honor. Up until this point, pizza largely consisted of tomato and was known as a Neapolitan, with the Margherita marking the first instance of mozzarella cheese being added. Of course, pizza isn’t limited to just one type of cheese.

Given how many different types exist, it’s not a surprise to learn that most have their place on a pizza, whether it’s as a mere substitution for mozzarella or as an addition to create a multi-cheese monstrosity bursting with flavor. Here are some of the other types of cheeses that are frequently found on pizzas. ( Photo ) Cheddar Cheddar cheese doesn’t sound like an ideal type of pizza cheese, especially if you venture into the sharper and more flavorful varieties, but it’s a perfect option for those who seek to branch out from traditional toppings and use items such as hamburger or barbecue sauce on their pizzas. The reason this works is that it emulates the type of cheese often used in dishes such as hamburgers or, well, anything barbecued, so the sharp cheddar cheese flavor compliments them in a way that mozzarella can’t. Cheddar is also used in conjunction with mozzarella to make a cheddar-mozzarella blend. The two flavors balance each other out, giving the pizza more variety that works with any type of topping you can come up with. ( Photo ) Parmesan Parmesan should not be used as a primary pizza cheese, but it’s perfect to use as a topping.

Simply get some finely grated parmesan cheese in a cannister or, conversely, some shredded cheese found in the cheese and sprinkle it over your pizza after it comes out of the oven. It has a strong flavor, so it’s no recommended that you use a lot of it, lest you overpower the other flavors of the pizza, but I’m not here to tell you what to do. I pile the stuff on! ( Photo ) Provolone Often used in conjunction with mozzarella, provolone cheese is a semi-hard Italian cheese that can vary in taste depending on how long it’s aged. It’s easy to grate, and thus a perfect substitution for mozzarella cheese, especially on specialty pizzas such as a Philly cheese steak pizza. Conversely, it’s a perfect substitute for mozzarella when making small, pita-sized pizza, as it can be sliced easily to cover the entire crust. ( Photo ) Provel You won’t find this in most pizza places, but provel cheese is a perfect alternative for mozzarella cheese on a pizza. It’s a white processed cheese that is given its flavor through a combination of cheddar, swiss, and provolone cheeses.

It can be purchased as a block or as pre-packaged shredded cheese. It was allegedly created as a topping for St. Louis-stlye pizza over a half century ago, and is used as a replacement for mozzarella, offering a cleaner bite that breaks off the pizza easily. Anyone who has ever bitten a pizza and found all of the toppings slide onto their plate because the cheese won’t break off will absolutely love this cheese. ( Photo ) Brie Originating in France, this soft cow’s milk cheese is a popular favorite for those who prefer to eat their crackers with a little bit of class and civility. Unbeknownst to most, however, brie is a perfect alternative to mozzarella when you’re seeking to make a fancier pizza using more esoteric toppings. Pear, cranberry, garlic, and mushrooms all go well with a pizza made with brie, which is typically cut into small cubes and sprinkled on top of the crust. Given how soft it is, it’s also possible to simply slice it up and cover the crust that way. Brie has a very strong flavor, but it’s a fun way to spice up pizza night and try something new.

( Photo ) Feta This crumbled, aged cheese from Greece is typically found as a topping for salads, but it’s perfect if you’re seeking to make a Greek pizza. Greek pizza refers to the way crust is made rather than the toppings, but typical Greek pizza toppings include olives, onion, tomatoes, green peppers, gyro meats, and, yes, feta cheese. These types of pizzas are varied, and the feta cheese is used less as a substitution for mozzarella and more as a singular topping. What kind of cheese does Pizza Hut or Domino's use? - Seasoned Advice Seasoned Advice up vote 14 down vote favorite 4 I have been experimenting with Pizza and cakes. I can easily purchase mozzarella in India and have been using it for pizza, but it doesn't come close to the cheese Pizza Hut or Domino's use. Do they use some special cheese? I would like to experiment with cheese. I normally sprinkle oregano on cheese but I think there could be more to it. Do you want to add a little detail on what aspects the mozzarella you're buying is missing when compared to Pizza Hut or Dominos?

– mfg Apr 14 '11 at 19:27 1 I question the source of your mozzarella. Can good mozzarella be purchased in India? It can't in 99% of Canada, so I doubt it. – Doug Apr 16 '11 at 6:06 @Doug, you may be correct. I use Amul Cheese, its a well known brand in India. – Kumar Apr 16 '11 at 15:17 You want to get a good buffalo mozzarella. Though personally, I think to get a good pizza cheese flavour and texture going on, you need to combine the mozzarella with a hard cheese like a strong cheddar or montrey jack. – Orbling Apr 17 '11 at 1:46 8 @Doug: do you really think Domino's uses "good mozarella"? I doubt really good mozarella exists in the quantities they require :) Most likely they use a mix of a bit of mass produced mozarella with mostly gouda or cheddar, which are cheaper and produced in far higher bulk.

– jwenting Apr 18 '11 at 9:37 up vote 17 down vote accepted Pizza hut uses skim milk mozzarella on it's pizza, at least in the USA. Not sure what they use in other countries, but I would imagine it is still the same. Skim milk mozzarella is extremely stretchy, but loses a little on the flavor end. More expensive pizzerias normally spring for the full fat mozzarella cheese. Dominos uses a mix of cheese, made up of mozzarella, Pecarino, Parmesan, and asiago cheeses. I think in their most recent reboot they switched to part skim mozzarella but I am not one hundred percent on that. "Skim milk mozzarella" sounds very technical, I will try to find pecarino and aisago chees, parmesan is readily availble :) thanks – Kumar Apr 15 '11 at 13:47 Most grated mozzarella you can buy in stores (in the US, at least) is skim milk mozzarella. – tim Apr 15 '11 at 14:01 1 grated mozerella???? doesnt mozerella come in blobs soaked in water?

– Midhat Mar 28 '12 at 22:20 8 Good mozzarella, yes. Cheap mozzarella, no. – Adele C Jun 13 '12 at 4:48 2 @Midhat: you are right. The main problem is that should NOT even be called mozzarella. It is rather some generic pasta filata (spun paste) cheese, while mozzarella is a fresh, soft cheese. PS: it is called "Pec o rino" (meaning sheep cheese) – nico Jul 1 '12 at 22:16 up vote 9 down vote One thing that's important to note when discussing American-style pizza cheese is that it's important that it be a very dry mozzarella. There are two very different cheeses named "mozzarella": in Europe, the predominant variety is what, under US law, is called "fresh mozzarella", which comes in a ball, either shrink-wrapped or packed in water. In the US, it's allowed to be between 52% and 60% water. That type of mozzarella is not appropriate for use in making American style pizza, as its moisture is much too high.

The result of making American-style pizza from grated fresh mozzarella can be a soggy mess , as the water leaks out of the cheese as it melts. Note that very good pizza can be made from this type of cheese, it's just not appropriate for trying to make American-style pizza. In the US, most mozzarella is "low-moisture" (45-52% water): dried, aged, and sold in blocks instead of balls, with a much longer shelf-life than "fresh" mozzarella. I can't seem to a good reference again (all I find now are cheese snobs thumbing their nose at low-moisture mozzarella, or gourmands insisting that only full-fat cheese is acceptable), but I remember some years ago finding a site put up by a restauranteer discussing pizza cheese, that helped me solve the pizza woes I was having at the time. The site noted that cheeses on the high end of "low-moisture" would result in exactly what I was getting to come out of the oven from my 50% moisture brand: an unappetizing translucent gray cheese, with a slight bitter flavor. As I remember, they recommended a moisture level below 48%.

I went and found a harder block of mozzarella than the brand I'd been using, and my pizza started coming out much better. Pizza Cheese-Cheese Pizza-Best Cheese For Pizza Favorite Sites Mozzarella Mozzarella is the main type of cheese that is used on most pizzas. There are many different kinds of Mozzarella. Try to find a store that carries whole milk mozzarella. This is a nice creamy flavored mozzarella. It makes an excellent pizza. The other more common types of mozzarella that you find in most grocery stores are low fat and pasteurized mozzarella. These work too. Buffalo mozzarella (1st choice) Buffalo mozzarella is another great mozzarella to use but it is hard to find. Yes, it is made from Buffalo milk and is one of the best cheeses that I have tasted. Substitute cheeses A good substitution for mozzarella is Munster cheese , Jack cheese, feta cheese, or Provolone Cheese. Blend different cheeses Mix different blends of cheeses to add unique flavors to your pizza My Award Winning Blend: I mix a blend of these 5 cheeses; 60% mozzarella and 10% each of the other 4 cheeses.

Grating your cheese Here is a little trick that I learned for grating your cheeses. Use your food processor for grating the harder cheeses such as Asiago,Provolone, Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano If your mozzarella is too soft use a course grater. Your cheese will melt nicely on your pizza when you coarse grate in larger pieces. Learn To Make Pizza DVD Learn to make gourmet pizza and you will be feeding your family and friends pizza for years! Different Types of Pizza | Pizza Crust Styles Different Types of Pizza | Pizza Crust Styles In-Depth Articles Pin it Share Share Tweet Last updated on 12/07/2016 Since its humble beginnings in Italy, pizza has gone through numerous transformations to become the dish that so many people know and love today. But if you’re just opening up you’re first pizza joint or want to add a pizza oven in your restaurant , it can be difficult to decide what style of pizza your restaurant will make. Luckily for you, we discuss the different types of pizza, their history, and what you’ll need to make them, so you can start serving up delicious slices to your guests. 1. Neapolitan Pizza Neapolitan - the original pizza.

This delicious pie has a history that dates all the way back to 18th century Naples, Italy. During this time, the poorer citizens of this seaside city frequently purchased food that was cheap and could be eaten quickly. Luckily for them, Neapolitan pizza – a flatbread with tomatoes, cheese, oil, and garlic – was affordable and readily available through numerous street vendors. Variations of Neapolitan Pizza Today there are three official vairants of Neapolitan pizza: Pizza Marinara: Features tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. Pizza Margherita: Features tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Pizza Margherita extra: Features tomatoes, mozzarella from Campania, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Traditional toppings: Since Neapolitan pizza is thinner, it isn't designed to handle the weight of too many toppings. In fact, Neapolitan pizza is so thin that it's typically eaten with a fork and knife. Not to mention, straying away from the original could be considered a pizza sin. The typical Neapolitan pizza toppings are fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, oregano, and olive oil.

Baking suggestions: Many people will tell you that in order to make "real" Neapolitan pizza, it must be baked in a wood burning oven that's heated anywhere from 800 - 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to how they made it many years ago. Baking the pie at this high of a temperature only takes around 70-90 seconds to fully cook. 2. Chicago Pizza Chicago pizza, also commonly referred to as deep-dish pizza, gets its name from the city it was invented in. During the early 1900’s, Italian immigrants in the windy city were searching for something similar to the Neapolitan pizza that they knew and loved. Instead of imitating the notoriously thin pie, Ike Sewell had something else in mind. He created a pizza with a thick crust that had raised edges, similar to a pie, and ingredients in reverse, with slices of mozzarella lining the dough followed by meat, vegetables, and then topped with a can of crushed tomatoes. This original creation led Sewell to create the now famous chain restaurant, Pizzeria Uno.

Traditional toppings: Unlike other styles of pizza, the toppings on a Chicago-style pie aren't found directly on top, but instead underneath a layer of tomato sauce. Generally, the toppings for Chicago pizza are ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, and green peppers. Some locations will even finish off their pizzas with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese across the tomato sauce. Baking suggestions: In order to easily get a Chicago pizza out of the pan, it's important to wipe the pan down with oil. Adding oil to the pan also helps to make the base of the dough a bit crispier. Since there are more toppings and dough, baking a deep dish pizza can be a lengthier process, with a baking time of 30 - 35 minutes. 3. New York Style Pizza While New York-style pizza isn’t exactly the original, it’s become the most popular and widespread choice in the United States. Even though Neapolitan and New York pizzas share similarities, there are distinct differences. Some people will tell you that it’s the minerals in the Big Apple’s water used to make the dough that makes this pizza stand out.

However, in order to make a proper New York-style pie, the crust still needs to be thin, like a Neapolitan, but thick enough to fold a slice in half lengthwise. This simplifies eating the pizza without utensils, which is a necessity in New York City's fast-paced setting. Traditional toppings: Unlike its thin crust counterpart, the Neapolitan, New York-style pizzas can handle a wide range of toppings, from pepperoni and sausage to mushroom and anchovies. While this style of pizza can have virtually any topping added to it, it's more common to find condiments added to a slice, like oregano, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Baking suggestions: Just like the Neapolitan pizza, many will tell you that in order for a New York-style pizza to be authentic, it has to be cooked in a wood or coal burning oven. Today, many people use gas deck ovens to bake them, which creates the same delicious, gooey, and crispy result. 4. Sicilian Pizza Sicilian pizza, also known as sfincione, may seem like a distant cousin of a Chicago-style pie, but the two have their differences.

It's not even the same pizza that you'd get in Sicily. So what’s the deal with this complicated pizza? Well, no matter what country you get this square cut, thick crust pizza from, it should always have a spongier consistency than other pizzas. However, sfincione is typically topped with a tomato sauce, onions, herbs, anchovies, and then covered with bread crumbs. This version is typically served on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Sicily. But in America, Sicilian pizza features a simple combination of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and is eaten all year round. Traditional toppings: As mentioned above, the original Sicilian pizza isn't overloaded with toppings. However, the strength of the thick crust is perfect for adding on your guests' favorite toppings. Baking suggestions: To bring out the flavor of your Sicilian pizza dough, try lining your pan with an olive oil blend. Also, the temperature of your oven will determine how long you should bake your pie. For example, if your oven is heated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, it should take about 15 - 20 minutes to bake your Sicilian pizza. 5.

Greek Pizza Despite its name, Greek pizza has nothing to do with Greek toppings, nor was it invented in Greece. In fact, pizza isn’t even a common dish in the Mediterranean country, despite its close location to pizza’s birth place, Italy. Greek pizza was created by Greek immigrants who came to America and were introduced to Italian pizza. Instead of following the strict guidelines of New York or Chicago-style, Greek pizza has its own rules. While this style has a crust that is puffier and chewier than thin crust pizzas, it’s not quite as thick as a deep-dish or Sicilian crust. Greek pizza also typically uses a tangy tomato paste that has a strong oregano flavor and is topped with a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Traditional toppings: Since there are no traditional toppings on Greek pizza, outside of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, you or your guests are free to add what you'd like. Not to mention, the thicker design of this pie can handle the weight of multiple toppings. If you really want to pay homage to the country this pizza gets its name from, try adding feta cheese, black olives, and red onion.

Baking suggestions: To get a puffy, chewy crust, Greek pizza is typically baked in a round pan that has been heavily coated in olive oil. Lining the pan with oil also allows the bottom of the dough to fry while it bakes. 6. California Pizza California pizza, or gourmet pizza, is known for its unusual ingredients. This pizza got its start back in the late 1970’s when Chef Ed LaDou began experimenting with pizza recipes in the classic Italian restaurant, Prego. By chance, he served one of his newest creations, mustard, ricotta, pate, and red pepper, to Wolfgang Puck. Impressed with LaDou’s innovative pie, Puck invited him to be a head pizza chef at his restaurant. It was here that LaDou came up with over 250 unique pizza recipes that eventually formed the menu of chain restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen. Traditional toppings: When it comes to California pizza, there's no such thing as traditional toppings. This lack of specificity allows you to get inventive. You can even swap out tomato sauce for barbecue or Alfredo sauce. Baking suggestions: Your choice to use either thin or thick crust will determine how you will bake your pizza. 7.

Tomato Pie Derived from Sicilian pizza, Italian tomato pie is a thick crust, square cut pizza that features focaccia-like dough and plenty of sweet and tangy tomato sauce. If you travel to Philadelphia to try a square of this delicious treat, it’ll most likely feature “gravy” - another name for tomato sauce - poured over a crispy and doughy crust. However, in other areas, tomato pie can feature cheese and other toppings with the sauce poured over top. But what makes tomato pie really stand out amongst other pizza options is the fact that it is commonly served and eaten at room temperature. Traditional toppings: Tomato pie traditionally features a simple blend of sauce and bread, with the occasional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese across the sauce. However, you can also find versions of this pizza that feature ground beef, sausage, and slices of mozzarella. Baking suggestions: First, the crust of the pie is cooked in the oven. To avoid your crust from drying out, you'll want to coat it with a little bit of water and tomato sauce. After the dough is done baking, you can add the sauce and place it back in the oven for about 15 minutes at 550 degrees Fahrenheit. 8.

Alternative Pizza Types The different toppings and styles of pizza are endless. While traditional pizza toppings, like pepperoni and veggies, may initially draw customers into your business, unique pizzas, like cheeseburger and bacon cheese fry, will draw in even more curious and hungry customers. You can even explore different crust options like pretzel or stuffed. Here are a few suggestions for pizza types and toppings to add to your menu: Alternative Pizza Types Mushrooms Types of Pizza Crust While the dough and crust of a pizza can fly under people’s radar, they are the foundation of creating a delicious pizza. There are a number of ways to mold and shape your pizza dough and crust, but the two most popular styles are thin and thick crusts. Thin Crust Pizza Thin crust pizzas are slimmer in the center where the sauce, cheese, and ingredients are placed, but lead up to a crunchy, yet doughy edge. In order to get thinner dough, the key is to gently stretch out the dough to form the edges. Pizzas with thin crusts, like Neapolitan and New York-Style, don’t often have many toppings because they can’t handle the weight.

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to make a thick crust pizza to add more toppings to your pie. For example, if you wanted to create a California-Style pizza with lots of toppings, you would just need to make the center of the pie a bit thicker. Thick Crust Pizza Thick crust is thick all throughout in order to handle the weight of the sauce and toppings. Typically, the crust can range in thickness anywhere from a 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Since thick crust pizzas, like Chicago and Sicilian, have edges to contain all the sauce, cheese, and toppings, the crust is generally rolled out on a cutting board and molded into the shape of the pan that is used to bake it. Supplies and Equipment for Different Styles of Pizza Just like each pizza is different, so are the supplies and equipment you'll need to make them. Click on the tabs below to find out what you'll need to make your desired style of pizza. Four Cheese Pizza Recipe : Food Network Directions Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F. Stretch the pizza dough and fit it into 2 pizza pans. Combine the mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Asiago cheeses in a bowl.

Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over the crusts. Top the pizza with the Pecorino and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Professional Recipe: This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and makes a large quantity. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results. Recipe courtesy of Jerry Rotonda, Jumbo's Seafood and Pizza Eatery - Wildwood, NJ CATEGORIES: Types of Pizza - Most Popular Pizza Types Home » Pizza Facts » Pizza Types Types of Pizza - Popular Pizza Variations As one of the most popular dishes in the world, pizza managed to be produced in astounding amount of variations depending of the area or the country where it is used. The first major breakthrough that enabled pizza to become the dish that we know and love today was tomato, which empowered cooks from Italian town of Napoli to create first modern pizza. After several centuries under their care, pizza finally managed to cross to America where it slowly became one of the most popular meals. Shortly after that, worldwide success came and pizza became common dish in every country in the world.

Although this popularity brought with itself many variation in creation of pizza, Italian government and cooks from Napoli managed to elect the law that preserves the image and process of creation of the true Naples' Neapolitan pizza. Here are some of the most important types of pizza that can be found around of world: Italian Neapolitan pizza (pizza napoletana) - This authentic Neapolitan pizza is protected by the European law as a cultural food heritage, and its production is closely monitored. Ingredients for its creation are San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese (sometimes made from the milk from water buffalo raised in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio in a semi-wild state), natural Neapolitan yeast or brewer's yeast and strong flour with high protein content. Italian Lazio style - This style originated from Rome and is popular across the entire Italy. It is created either in rectangular baking pan with thin crust, or in regular oval form.

There are several variations of this pizza, with most notable ones being Pizza Romana (tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, oregano, oil), Pizza Viennese (German sausage), Pizza capricciosa, Pizza quattrostagioni ("four seasons pizza), Pizza quattroformaggi("four cheese pizza"), Sicilian-style pizza (its topping is baked directly into the crust), White pizza (which doesn't not use tomato sauce), Ripieno or calzone (which is "turnaround pizza, folded into form of half circle) and Pizza Leggera or Pizza Mezzogiorno (very small pizza, with crust of only half a centimeter at most). American pizza - Over the last century in which pizza was present in the US, several distinctive pizza styles were developed. Some of the most notable ones are deep-dish pizza in Chicago, twice-baked style in Detroit and thin crust pizza in New York. Australian pizza - This kind of pizza is heavily filled with cheese and eggs, as well as many other sea products.

In 1980s several Australian pizza shops started selling pizzas that were made with very exotic and expensive ingredients (salmon, bocconcini, tiger prawns, kangaroo, emu and crocodile). Brazilian pizza - After the pizza revolution in 1950s, this dish became very popular in Brazil. Today it's calculated that population of Sao Paolo eat 1.4 million pizzas every day. Aside from very popular traditional types (Neapolitan pizza and Roman pizzas), Brazilian pizzerias also offer many forms of this dish. Indian pizza - India became acquitted with pizza with the arrival of the big pizza franchise restaurants (such as Domino's and Pizza Hut) during 1990s. Today Indian population eat all the most common pizza variations (mostly Italian ones), but they created several toppings that are unique to their country (Tandoori Chicken and Paneer). Pizza in Korea - In addition to the major American pizza brands, population of South Korea is also eating pizzas from the domestic brands such as Mr. Pizza and Pizza Etang, which offer traditional and regional toppings that cannot be found elsewhere and pizzas that are very complicated for creation.

North Korea received his first pizzeria in its capitol Pyongyang in 2009. Pizzas in Israel - Types of pizza in Israel are heavily influenced by many cultures that live in that area. In addition to worldwide pizza chains, Israel pizzas are also available in kosher (no meat or with meat imitations). Frozen pizzas - The first frozen pizzas appeared in US market by Celentano Brothers. In the following decades food technologists managed to overcome challenges with cold pizza storages. Today they are available in forms of frozen crust, or as ready-to-bake pizzas which have pre-prepared raw ingredients. Exotic pizzas - Some of the examples of the most notable exotic pizzas are Deep-Fried Pizza from Scotland (often served with French fries for maximum calories impact), Chocolate Pizza (with toppings such as marshmallows, peanut butter, and candy) and Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza (Domino's version of this pizza can have 900 calories in regular 2 slice serving!). Some types of pizzas (pictures): Roasted Tomato Pizza, Salami Pizza, Italian Pizza, Italian Pizza with Hum, Sweet Pizza with Strawberry, Square Pizza, Square Small Pizza, Portuguese Pizza ...

Copyright© Pizza Facts The Best Mix Of Cheeses To Put On Your Pizza, According To Science | The Huffington Post The Best Mix Of Cheeses To Put On Your Pizza, According To Science 08/24/2014 09:49 am ET | Updated Aug 24, 2014 450 Jacqueline Howard Associate Science Editor, The Huffington Post There's mozzarella, cheddar, Colby -- oh, and don't forget provolone! With so many different cheeses to choose from, which type is the best to put on a pizza so that it tastes incredible, and has that gourmet look to it? Now an international team of scientists have found the perfect combination of cheeses to use, after looking at each cheese type's elasticity, free oil, moisture, water activity and baking temperature. After all, most pizza-lovers like when the cheese melts into a gooey goodness without too many blisters and burnt spots, right? "Pizza browning and blistering sounds like a totally trivial question," study co-author Dr.

Bryony James, a professor of chemical and materials engineering at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, says in the YouTube video above, which was released by the Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists . "But it's actually dictated by a combination of composition and mechanical properties of the cheese itself." James and her colleagues analyzed the properties of seven different types of cheeses -- mozzarella (which is the most often used in pizza), cheddar, Colby, Edam, Emmental, Gruyere, and provolone -- and how they affect these cheeses while baking. What did the researchers find? Since cheddar, Colby, and Edam cheeses have "small elasticity," they didn't easily form blisters when baking. As for Gruyere, Emmental, and provolone, their large amount of free oil prevented moisture from easily evaporating and so resulted in less browning. Meanwhile, mozzarella easily blisters. (Story continues below) A screenshot of the above video showing the different types of cheeses used in the study and how they appear after baking.

So, the researchers concluded in their study that mozzarella can be combined with any of the other six cheeses to create just the right amount of browning and blistering you prefer on a gourmet pizza -- for instance, try cheddar for less blisters or provolone for less browning. Bon appétit! The study was published online in the Journal of Food Science on July 21, 2014. Also on HuffPost:

Question: What type of cheese is most commonly used on pizza?
Answer: Mozzarella