Pizza cheese
I'm bored with just mozzarella. What else can I combine with the standard mozz to make a knock out pizza? I'll be shopping at a CRAPPY little Kroger store in my hometown so I don't know what kind of variety will be available, but let me know your faves and hopefully I can track them down.
I can't get too wild and crazy because the husband LOVES pizza and prefers it unadulterated. I'm game for anything except for pungent varieties (i.e. bleu cheese) and I need it to be either pastuerized or a cheese that can be heated/melted to lessen my risk of ingesting bacteria and other nasties. Being pregnant is SO much fun....
And because said husband is such a pizza purist, the other toppings will include the usual sausage, pepperoni and possibly some vegetable matter if I'm ambitious. No pineapple or other exotic items on our pie. :(
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15 Comments:
sausage, artichoke, ricotta, Pecorino
Thai chiles, mozzerella, Parmesan, olive oil, salt
sausage, onions & grueyere
bitchincamero at 10:08AM on 03/06/08
I second using gruyere. It's good stuff
Lilla at 10:22AM on 03/06/08
Emment[h]al[er] (there are 4 different accepted spellings, and in the US it is called Swiss cheese) is a good option; it is more distinctive than mozarella, but not too aggressive to be unacceptable even to my not-cheese-loving self. It melts very nicely, particularly when first shredded on a coarse grater.
mongoose at 10:35AM on 03/06/08
Here in the Metropolitan Detroit area our voted number 1 pizza places use a combination of Mozz and Wisconsin Brick Cheese. I find the flavor and strechability a must for my homemade pies.
PlanetChaos at 10:39AM on 03/06/08
I love some good goat cheese and sundried tomato pizza -- not too exotic, but a little kick from the usual ingredients. I usually put a little chopped sauteed garlic/broccoli on my half, and black olives on the bf's half.
savecara at 10:53AM on 03/06/08
Make a blend. Start with mozzarella and add fontina, provolone, asiago, parm regg, pec romano in ratios that suit your palate and won't freak out hubby. Bear in mind that there are different varieties and sharpnesses when selecting your cheeses.
LoCo at 11:44AM on 03/06/08
you could go for the lowbrow hamburger/cheddar option
or the greek style feta/garlic/spinach
tex-mex-pepperjack/taco seasoned meat/ salsa
i work with some brazillian guys who make a cheddar/asiago blend (but with bananas-yuck)
in st. louis they use something called provel-it is a mozz/provolone mix
or you could leave the cheese off alltogether and use just great canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil
coolname at 1:03PM on 03/06/08
I love to combine mozz and provolone. I recently discovered fontina and I think that would work well too. As long as it's not 100% cheddar, I don't think you can go wrong.
http://nujoikitchendiary.blogspot.com/
NuJoi at 1:05PM on 03/06/08
Fabulous suggestions! I've wanted to try fontina but keep forgetting to look for it when I'm in a store that might actually carry it.
I will look for provolone and fontina, and maybe pick up another package of parm. I have some gruyere already and love it in mac and cheese so I'm sure it will rock on pizza.
Bananas on pizza? Seriously? Ewww....
@planetchaos- stretchability is the quality I was after. Seems like most mozzarella comes off in one big hunk when take that first bite. I want cheese with every bite!
@LoCo- excellent suggestions, thanks so much!
AuntJone at 1:28PM on 03/06/08
AuntJone, re stretchability of mozzarella, the kind sold in most supermarkets is the part-skim, low moisture variety, which is much drier and lower fat. That means it has a much chewier texture, and tends to stay more intact after melting. See if you can find some whole milk mozzarella, which is the kind most good pizzerias use -- it gets goopier when melted due to the higher fat and moisture content.
Have fun and let us know what you end up being happiest with. And let us know whether hubby is happy with it!
LoCo at 2:38PM on 03/06/08
I would go with Provolone because it has this nice, salty bite and I'd also go with Fontina because it melts really well and gets super creamy and delicious. I'm all about cheese pizza.
PumpkinBear at 5:14PM on 03/06/08
Provolone, of course, and I also like Halloumi cut with mozzarella to decrease saltiness and save money.
srhcb at 8:12PM on 03/06/08
mozzarella de bufalo
KarynMC at 9:49PM on 03/06/08
I don't know if you usually use grated mozzarella but if you do my suggestion would be to "rediscover" mozzerella by buying it fresh at the store and then instead of grating it, slice it thin and put the slices right on top of the sauce.
benknight at 11:54AM on 03/07/08
I recently discovered smoked cheeses, they add a great smoky-bacony flavor. Perhaps try a smoked mozzarella? That way you have the same stretchy chewy texture and a nice smoky flavour.
ag3208 at 11:19PM on 03/07/08