For many years, pizza has been one of the favorite dishes of Russians. Someone found a favorite pizzeria where they cook as he likes. Someone is content with the “fast-food” option, heated in the microwave. But many are happy to cook this dish themselves, experimenting with a variety of fillings and recipes for making dough. And for these culinary experts, the question of what kind of cheese is best for pizza is absolutely natural.
Pizza as a gastronomic work of art
The Italians, who discovered the taste of this dish to the whole world, say that the key to success is the right dough and the right cheese. The latter should not have too bright, outstanding taste, so as not to overshadow other ingredients. But it should not be absolutely bland, in order to add its own touch to the finished product. And, of course, the best cheese for pizza - which stretches, that is, melts well, but does not spread. Anyone who adds processed cheese to an Italian masterpiece is fundamentally wrong.
Classic: never let you down!
The “owners” of the recipe rarely think about which cheese is best for pizza. Of course, mozzarella! It successfully combines softness and elasticity, it lacks spices that may not be combined with other components, and at the same time it still has a distinctive taste, which is why it is difficult to confuse it with other types of cheeses. In addition, when melted, mozzarella gives a thin golden crust, which does not become “rubber” even when the pizza cools down. To all the advantages of mozzarella, it is also useful: calcium and proteins contained in it are easily absorbed and will not be superfluous in the body.
However, every recipe tends to develop and supplement over time. The Italians are by no means conservatives. Now they have somewhat diversified the cheese varieties suitable for pizza: along with mozzarella, parmesan and gorgonzola are often used.
French innovations
Pizza, triumphantly traveling through cities and villages, was enriched with new tastes inherent in the cuisines of peoples with other traditions of food. So, the French believe that the best cheese for pizza is brie. No less popular in this country for the preparation of Italian dishes and Roquefort. It is worth noting that both cheeses are moldy, only the first is made from cow's milk, and the second is made from sheep’s milk. If you decide to try the French version of pizza with brie, try to find young cheese - in a mature state it becomes somewhat harder (that is, it spreads worse) and acquires a sharp taste, which is not suitable for all toppings.
Alpine fantasies
And which cheese is better for pizza according to the Swiss? Of course, emmental. The inhabitants of this country actively use it in the preparation of fondue, and the same variety, as they consider it, is indispensable for pizza. The Italians, however, have their doubts: all the same, the emmental refers to hard cheeses, that is, its crust hardens and forms with great difficulty. In addition, emmental has a pronounced spicy smell and no less bright taste, so it does not combine with all products. For example, you can’t put salami into pizza - sausage and cheese will “conflict”.
Russian contribution to the Italian dish
The Russians also contributed to the modification of their favorite dish. Adyghe cheese has become an excellent substitute for mozzarella. Of course, it has a somewhat curdled structure, but it melts not bad, and also gives the finished pizza a delicate and peculiar taste.
There is another opinion about which cheese is suitable for pizza. Oddly enough, the most ordinary and familiar for us is Russian. It is soft enough, melts well, forming a golden crust. The basic requirement of Italy - the absence of its own harsh taste - is also quite consistent.
Expert opinion: top ten
Mozzarella has already been discussed. Gourmets put Parmesan in second place: its nutty flavor is piquant in the dish, and the consumption is also small. It is great for Italian pasta. On the question of which cheese is best for pizza, opinions, of course, differ, but if you like exotic, the third and fourth points are yours: blue cheese is also very good for this dish. Among them, the already mentioned brie are especially harmonious with blue mold. Camembert is in fifth place, especially with brie. Sixth is feta. When using it, it is worth considering that it is already salty, so seasonings should be used carefully. The seventh point is for the amateur and for the experimenter: cheddar refers to hard cheeses, in addition, it is quite sharp. The same applies to the eighth position in the top list - ricotta. First of all, this cheese is cottage cheese, so its melting is not so hot. We would rather say that it is more appropriate in climbing. But the taste is neutral, which allows you to "play" with the options of filling. In the penultimate place - goat cheese, and completes the list of mascarpone.
All these types of cheese are widely known, and in good stores are available for tasting. So if you are not sure, you can try and decide if this particular product is suitable for you.
Cheese delicacies
Depending on which pizza cheese you have chosen, consider its features when cooking. So, blue with mold must be stored in the freezer - it can not be rubbed in uncooled form. Bree trying to rub is completely pointless, so you just need to crumble it. If the choice is made in favor of Parmesan, take the smallest grater that can be found in the house.
And whatever cheese you like, get along with it a small piece of mozzarella. If you finish the pizza with it, shabby, the taste will be richer: all the shades of any other selected cheese will open, and the crust will turn out soft and dense.
If there are several cheeses
Among all pizza recipes, those that involve the use of several types of cheese stand out especially . It would seem simpler - rubbed a little of that, a little bit different - and the dish is ready! However, there are tricks here. For example, in no case should you combine cheese with mold and goat. The conflict of tastes is so strong that it will be simply impossible to eat.
If you want to try pure cheese pizza, stop at the beginning with proven combinations. And when you catch the secret, you will compose your own “bouquets”.
An excellent combination would be brie (thin, almost transparent plates), something moldy, parmesan (grate finely) and mozzarella (grate coarsely or cut into strips).
A combination of a gun (and this is not a weapon, but the name of cheese!), Camembert (cut both pieces into pieces) and mozzarella (as always, coarsely grated) is successful.
Brie goes well with emmental and classic mozzarella. Thinly chop the first cheese again, grate the last two. This combination is the most subtle in taste, so it will go very well with aromatic spicy stuffing.
Lovers of goat cheese can combine it with conte (both ingredients are cut into pieces), grated parmesan and mozzarella. You will get a very rich dish with a very unusual and mature taste.
As you understand, cheeses need to be able to combine with each other, and even figure out in which form (grated large or small, chopped or crumbled) to send to pizza. Want to - experiment! But no - pizza with ordinary Russian cheese is not bad. The recipe allows a huge number of other fillers. So choose your option.