I have been involved in a complicated relationship for 14 years. My partner is fickle, moody, unstable and inconsistent, but I can’t get rid of her. Because of her voracious greed, she takes all my money, squanders it and I never see it again. Unfortunately, my customers adore her and cannot get enough of her, but they don’t understand the cost I bear to keep her around.

Her name is cheese.

My usual mozzarella/provolone cheese mix costs me from 60 to 70 percent of every single pizza and because I use more than 1,000 pounds each week, I am at the whim of the volatile cheese market. To put it bluntly, cheese affects the money I feed and clothe my kids with. I wanted to cut back on the halfpound I place on each large pie, but instead I decided to do the opposite of what any sane person would do. I added Artisan cheese to my menu mix! By embracing these cheeses, my menu-mix has exploded and my customers can get real gourmet pizzas and I get more sales. Before we get started, here are a few tips when starting an artisan cheese program:

• Price. Just because a wonderful cheese is expensive by weight doesn’t mean it’s too expensive to use. Strong cheeses are perfect to use with your existing cheese profile and it doesn’t take much!
• Preparation. Most purveyors have ready-shredded cheeses and American-made variants of European cheeses. If you get cheese by the block, buy a professional cheese shredder and grate it yourself — it doesn’t take much time!
• Marketing. With the increased sophistication of diners these days, your customers will be wowed by these new and intense flavors. They see these cheeses on cooking shows every day and, from my personal experience, they may not be able to pronounce these cheeses right but are usually bowled over by the taste!

Here is a list of cheeses that I have marketed on pizzas in my pizzeria. I have used all of these cheeses on top of a smaller amount of my existing cheese mix:

• Ricotta. Too awesome to describe! Chef Jeff Freehof did a wonderful article on this at www.pizzatoday.com. This versatile cheese is relatively easy to make yourself — and if you do, you should be marketing that fact.
• Asiago. This Italian cheddar named after the town in Italy comes shredded at 27 cents an ounce and adds a great pungent compliment to chicken, basil pesto, bacon, onions, ham and is even strong enough to complete a killer taste profile with pepperoni.
• Feta. The Greek Pizza will always be a fab seller in any pizza joint. I get the cow’s milk feta crumbled in two- or five-pound bags for 27 cents per ounce and pair it with a béchamel sauce for feta cream or with spinach, tomato and black olive. Our Avalanche “Godzilla” Pizza that won “Best Pizza in the USA” at the World Pizza Championships in Italy features feta with sun-dried tomato, spinach and chicken. I also use local feta paired with applesauce, mint, honey, grapes, nuts, local paw-paw or zucchini.
• Goat Cheese (Chevre). This creamy goat cheese is less aggressive than feta but the nuanced sour taste is perfect for dolloping on fruit pizza with cherry, apple, apricot and strawberry. I sometimes stretch this expensive cheese folding it into ricotta for use with basil, bell peppers, fennel, garlic and broccoli. This cheese does burn if you have a high-heat conveyor oven, so watch out!
• Manchego. All my Spanish dreams come true with this cheddar-like cheese. Great with cilantro pesto, roasted red peppers and anchovies, I serve it with homemade chorizo meatballs, provolone and Valorosso tomatoes for a psycho- delicious pie. Manchego with quince paste and Marcona almonds is a favorite.
• Yellow Cheddar. A stalwart on my menu with a Hawaiian pizza or rock the house pairing it with ham or bacon. Cheddar comes in 20-pound cases for 13 cents an ounce for regular or up to 20 cents for aged cheddar. Beware — the cheap stuff burns, especially in a conveyor oven.
• Gorgonzola. Never underestimate the public’s appetite for stinky cheese! Just like anchovies, this major taste sensation is very economical — between 15 and 22 cents an ounce — and melts you right to the bank with traditional “agra dolce” (Agra-DOLchEE- meaning sweet and sour) effect with fresh pear or apple, figs, honey, walnuts and prosciutto. Mint, nuts, cream and mushrooms and balsamic are also great with gorgonzola. (I use Stilton also. It is a British version of the killer, creamy blue taste.)
• Fresh Mozzarella. I’ve learned to transform any pizza using a base of my cheese mix and small chunks of fresh mozzarella for a cool look. Most fresh mozzarella in brine can be had for close to 20 cents per ounce. I like the mozz logs because they don’t leach that white water all over a pie.
• Burrata. This pricy mozzarella ball filled with fresh sticky cream can be obtained for 90 cents to $1.12 an ounce and is now made in Wisconsin. At that price, it’s imperative that you broadcast this as Burrata. It’s perfect for dolloping on any Italian pizza after the oven with garlic, basil, tomato, vin cotto or balsamic.
• Gruyere: This is my new best friend, even at 70 to 93 cents per ounce. The outstanding strong taste pairs with onion, fresh spinach, ham, chicken, apples, garlic and arugula. (This is the cheese of fondue.)
• Fontina. At 28 cents per ounce, fontina is best used sparingly or with another cheese. It is great with salami, fruit, ham or with truffle oil. Fontinella, which is a younger, less expensive cheese, melts great but doesn’t have that grassy, fruity quality of aged fontina.
• Brie. Excellent name recognition! Only a few slices after the pie exits the oven will sell like gangbusters.
• Mascarpone. Mix with a grainier ricotta to dollop and tastes like creamy heaven.
• Other cheeses like Finlandia Swiss, Emmental, Colby, Pepper jack, Gouda, Muenster, Pecorino, Piave Vecchio and Tellegio are also great sellers.

So, if you’re tired of the same old cheese run-around, go rogue and create havoc using artisan cheeses to spice up your menu mix and your bank account.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. He is speaker at International Pizza Expo and a member of the World Pizza Champions.

Today’s pizzeria customers are savvier than ever thanks in part to a growing trend in upscale options. Sure, pepperoni and cheese are still king in this industry, but customers looking for fresh, organic and locally grown toppings now have more choices than ever. Add in the rise of Neapolitan and artisan focuses, and the pizza scene has grown into a competitive landscape. We talked to 10 pizzeria operators across the country to find out the hottest new toppings for 2013 –– and how to use them.


Ingredient: Quail eggs
Pairs with: crispy soppressata, roasted potatoes, arugula

“They are perfect for Neapolitan pizza ovens because you can crack them on the pizza going in and they cook to a perfect over easy in 75 seconds.”

-Jay Jerrier, owner of Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum, Texas


Ingredient: Sweet Piquanté Peppers
Pairs with: goat cheese, pancetta, escarole, mozzarella

“The flavor and usage of peppadews is like no other topping. They are sweet, spicy, sour and tart. These peppers can pair with almost anything and can be applied fresh, whole, halved, stuffed, quartered, sautéed and come in different colors. It’s one of the most flavorful universal toppings I have ever used.”

- Tony Gemignani, owner of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, California, and Pizza Rock in Sacramento, California


Ingredient: Kimchi
Pairs with: provolone, onions, peppers, teriyaki, cashews, chicken, sausage

“We have captured the Asian market in this college town with this ingredient. It’s also funny to see some of the country folk around here order ‘that Kill-chee...Mim-chee...dag gum...just put some of dat spicy Chinese stuff on my pizza!’ ” Har har … it’s Korean!”

- John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio


Ingredient: Hot soppressata
Pairs with: Grana Padano cheese, cherry tomatoes

“It’s the new upscale pepperoni. It has a little bit of kick to it and it offsets the freshness of the cherry tomatoes. The customers have really been taken aback by it and just love it.”

- Chris Lombardi, partner at New Jersey-based Tommy’s Coal Fired Pizza & Bar


Ingredient: fried chicken livers
Pairs with: super thin sliced lemon, Calabrian chili, olive oil, garlic & mozzarella

“Chicken livers have always been a favorite for me –– along with pizza. I love the texture and the mineral-ity of livers. We use livers from Plum Creek Farm in Burchard, Nebraska. The chickens are free range, antibiotic free, all natural, etc., which makes for super delicious livers!”

- Nick Stawhecker, chef/owner of Dante Ristorante Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska


Ingredient: roast pumpkin
Pairs with: salty ingredients, especially prosciutto, feta cheese or spicy sausage

“Our two most popular pizzas both contain roast pumpkin. ... We have a vegetarian pizza, which we use roast pumpkin, roasted garlic, spinach, feta zucchini and roasted bell pepper. The combination of flavors is perfect and people love it. It also looks amazing with the array of colors.”

- Adam Borich, owner of Lucifer’s Pizza in Los Angeles, California


Ingredient: Pistachio cream; walnut & pine nut cream
Pairs with: Pistachios go well with sweet Italian sausage & fresh mozzarella, while walnut and pine nut cream pairs well with coal-roasted zucchini and bufala mozzarella

“These flavors are one of our most popular new additions to our menu. They are delicate, yet flavorful. (They are) versatile and are not limited to traditional uses. Nuts make an exceptional and unexpected base for pizzas!”

-Mark Dym, owner of Marco’s Coal Fired Pizza in Denver, Colorado


Ingredient: smoked duck breast
Pairs with: gorgonzola, figs, walnuts, pistachios, red onion and pear

“We have a little smoker to house-smoke the duck breast in the wood oven. We then slice it paper thin.”

- Dave Brackett, owner of Pizzeria Rustica in Colorado Springs, Colorado


Ingredient: Conciato Romano
Pairs with: sugna, crushed black pepper, fresh basil, fresh oregano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh figs

“I was introduced to this cheese by the Lombardi family of the Agriturismo Le Campestre in Castel di Sasso, Italy. The cheese itself is considered one of the oldest cheeses in Europe dating 2,000 years to the time of the Roman Legions. It’s an aged sheep’s milk pecorino (six months to two years), and the pie itself (the Schiacciatta di Cinque Cento) is the creation of Franco Pepe of the pizzeria Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo, Italy. I love this cheese because it honors tradition and the artisinal process.”

- Jonathan Goldsmith, owner of Spacca Napoli Pizzeria in Chicago, Illinois


Ingredient: D’Anjou Pears >>>>
Pairs with: French brie, arugula, prosciutto, apricot-chili drizzle

“After 22 years in business we have a new No. 1 selling pizza: pear and Brie. Times have changed since the days of pepperoni and mushroom!”

- Peter Danis, owner of Figlio Wood Fired Pizza in Columbus, Ohio

Love it or hate it, ricotta just may be the most versatile cheese found in pizzerias today. Not only is it used in pasta dishes, but it can also be found atop pizzas and in rich, delightful sauces and desserts. It’s important to understand what ricotta comes from and how it’s made. Ricotta is Italian for “recooked” — it is made by “cooking” whey. It makes delicious lasagna, ravioli stuffing, gnocchi, cannoli, cheese-stuffed shells and even a great treat that both of my grandmothers used to make me called cheese blintzes (cheese filled crepes). Naturally, I’d be a fool if I didn’t mention how great pizza is with dollops of ricotta baked on it.

Many of us who have been blessed to learn how to make our own homemade fresh mozzarella at International Pizza Expo have learned that fresh milk has an enzyme added to it to separate the curds and whey. It’s that curd that we can buy to then make our own mozzarella. So, what about the whey? Well, it is then cooked to make ricotta.

Like types and styles of pizza crust and sauce, there are many different kinds of ricotta. There’s whole milk and part skim, with an obvious difference in the fat content. But there are also different textures you can find in ricotta cheese. Many ricottas can be a little bit grainy, and they are suitable for making lasagna, ravioli, manicotti or stuffed shells. Personally, I prefer a whipped, smooth ricotta cheese. It’s more versatile and has a much better mouth feel.

In order to use your ricotta cheese for both pasta dishes and desserts, it makes more sense to buy just one type. Ask your vendor to provide you with samples of the various ricottas they carry so that you can try them out for yourself.

For lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells and ravioli, I like to season my ricotta with salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasonings. I call my lasagna “Four- Cheese Lasagna” and find it much easier to assemble with all the cheeses in the filling instead of layering each cheese as I’m making the lasagna. For that reason, I add Parmesan, diced or shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses to my ricotta filling. I fi nd it important to add a few eggs to this mixture to bind it together once it’s cooked.

There is superfine ricotta cheese available with very low moisture designed for use in desserts. This cheese is designed to hold powdered or confectionary sugar well without getting too moist and loose. Mixing three pounds of this ricotta with one pound of powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of almond extract makes a perfect cannoli filling. With a pastry bag, I fi ll my cannoli shells and then dip the ends in mini chocolate chips.

I even attempted tiramisu with this smooth ricotta as a replacement for the traditional Mascarpone cheese — and it came out perfect. I like to make a big batch and freeze it. First, I whip four quarts of heavy cream. When it’s almost whipped all the way, I add two pounds of powdered sugar and three small boxes of instant white chocolate pudding powder mix (which acts as a stabilizer).

Next, I fold in six pounds of smooth ricotta. This completes my cream filling. Once that is ready, I brew a double strength pot of coffee and sweeten it with 3 pounds of sugar. I line two full two inch hotel pans with plastic wrap and assemble the tiramisu.

I start by lining each pan with ladyfinger cookies. I drizzle the sweet coffee mixture over the cookies. Next, I layer in some of the cream. I repeat the process until I have three layers of soaked cookies with three layers of the cream. This will fi ll two hotel pans. Then I freeze it all.

In order to get a clean cut on the tiramisu, pop it out of the pan while it’s still frozen and cut each yield into 28 squares. Wrap each piece individually and keep them frozen. Pull a few out per shift. Thaw them in the refrigerator. Serve each piece with a sprinkling of cocoa on top.❖

A Unique Twist
Gnocchi is a little dumpling that is usually made with potato. I find it so much easier to make with ricotta cheese, which yields a light dumpling. Simply add a few ingredients together to make a soft gnocchi dough. Here’s a recipe that’s quick and easy.



Ricotta Gnocchi

1 pound ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup fl our
1 teaspoon salt

Mix the ingredients together to form a soft dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little more fl our — a little at a time — until you can roll the dough out on the counter.

Roll it out into a rope form and cut even pieces. You can press them with your thumb, roll them over the back of a fork with your finger or roll them over a gnocchi board that puts lines on them. Boil them in salted water for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain them and immediately toss them in your favorite sauce and serve.

There are virtually hundreds of sauce options. Garlic butter would be great, but if you really wanted to stick with a ricotta theme, you could mix some ricotta with marinara to make a tomato cream sauce. You can even make an untraditional Alfredo sauce by draining the gnocchi, tossing it with some melted garlic butter, a cup of ricotta, ½ cup of Parmesan and ½ cup of cream.

Jeffrey Freehof owns The Garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia, and is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and the Pizza Expo trade show family.

Cheese bread is an unfussy name for a pretty straightforward appetizer, and it seems diners like it that way. It does have fancier offshoots — from housemade French bread stuffed with Gruyère to pretzel bread twisted with fontina cheese. Different cultures lay claim to the cheese bread, making it their own with local ingredients and infl uences. In Brazil, pão de queijo (bread of cheese) is made with manioc fl our and queijo de Minas (similar to a queso fresco). In the Republic of Georgia in Eastern Europe, kachapuri is made with fl our, butter, yeast, eggs and yogurt, and stars a creamy salted cow’s milk cheese that is best described as a blend between havarti and mozzarella. Italy’s small town of Recco in Genoa gives us foccacia di Recco, two layers of very thin dough sandwiching a rich, creamy fresh cheese called crescenza. In the U.S., cheese bread is most often bread spread with butter or olive oil, sometimes infused with garlic and herbs, and then topped with cheese or a blend of cheeses. Turning cheese bread into a signature appetizer comes in through technique and choice of cheeses. Operators we spoke to say that a simple cheese bread, executed well, makes their customers happiest, and menu distinction is achieved through recipes that call for more than the expected mozzarella melted over a slice of bread.

Lou Malnati’s, with 30 units in the Chicagoland area, serves a Three-Cheese Bread with a dipping sauce of housemade marinara for $5.25. “It’s a family-sized portion, so it’s a great communal appetizer,” says Jim Freeland, corporate chef and principal at Malnati’s. He starts with French bread infused with proprietary spices. He cuts the bread, then spreads garlic, along with a blend of several different fats, over the bread. It’s topped with mozzarella, Parmesan and cheddar and bakes in the oven until the bread crisps and the cheeses melt. “It is a pretty simple dish, but it’s important to do it well,” he says. “We use really soft French bread, and it crisps up beautifully in the oven. We get a nice contrast of flavors with the three cheeses, so you have several things happening on your palate. It’s really popular because it’s good. It’s not just mozzarella melted on a piece of bread,” he says.

At Palio’s Pizza Café in Mansfield and Ft. Worth, Texas (with other units throughout Texas owned by different franchisees), they make both a cheese bread and a Greek bread, offering them in two portion sizes. For the cheese bread, they start with a hoagie roll, cut it in half and slather it with housemade garlic butter. That gets topped with mozzarella and then toasted. Once pulled out of the oven, it gets finished with Parmesan cheese and parsley. A small order is six slices, and runs at $3.99. The Greek bread sees the hoagie roll slathered with pesto, then topped with mozzarella, feta and tomato, as well as a bit of olive oil. It sells for $4.99. “The Cheese Bread is more popular, but the Greek one does well, too,” says Seth Johnston, manager. “I think it’s at an easier price point for people, plus it’s familiar. We add our own touch to it with the Parmesan and parsley.”

At C.R. Gibbs in Redding, California, the Garlic-Asiago Cheesebread sees mayo in the cheese mix. By adding mayonnaise to the recipe, the chef brings in a binding element and is reduces the cost of the cheese. Mayo also cuts the strong flavor of the Asiago, mellowing it out with its neutral tone. To make it, the chef combines grated Asiago, mayonnaise, chopped garlic and chopped green onion. He blends them, then chills the mixture so it sets. He then spreads it on cut sourdough sticks and broils them in the Salamander until the cheese melts. The appetizer is served with a marinara dipping sauce. “The bread actually stays relatively moist because of the mayo. We don’t need to add butter or oil to the bread first,” says Jennifer Baird, a line cook at C.R. Gibbs. “The mayo also helps us manage the cost of the cheese. The trick is to cover all of the bread with the cheese blend, so you don’t get any burned parts.” The Garlic-Asiago Cheesebread, at $2.99 an order, is second only in appetizer sales to the fried calamari.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1 large loaf French bread
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons butter, softened
¼ cup of grated mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup fontina
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Marinara sauce for dipping

Cut the loaf of bread in half, lengthways. Mix the garlic with the softened butter; spread the mixture over each half. Sprinkle mozzarella generously over both halves. Top with Parmesan and fontina cheeses. Combine herbs; sprinkle them over the bread. Place bread on ungreased baking sheet; bake in 375 F oven until bread is golden brown and cheese is bubbling and melted (about 10-15 minutes). Serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

To say blue cheese is an assertive cheese is to put it mildly. At its best, blue cheese is creamy, pungent, acidic and complex. It works well with other strong flavors, like fiery barbecue sauce, garlic, onion and bold spices. One of blue cheese’s many dimensions is sweetness, which plays well against tart ingredients, such as green apple and dried cranberries. The question is: which blue cheese works best on a menu?

A natural fit on an Italian-themed restaurant or pizzeria is Gorgonzola, a cow’s milk cheese named for its place of origin, Gorgonzola, Italy. Prized for its creaminess and savory, slightly pungent flavor, Gorgonzola is generally considered a milder blue cheese that still brings a lot of body to the plate. Both domestic and imported varieties are available for foodservice.

Roquefort is a French blue cheese made from sheep’s milk exposed to a mold known as “Penicillum roqueforti,” and aged for three months in limestone caverns near a village in Roquefort, France. Like Champagne, only blue cheese from this area can be labeled Roquefort and is prized for its salty, pungent, rich flavor. Its price point makes it a rarer-seen cheese on menus.

Stilton is an English blue cheese, and gets its name from an eponymous village that first sold the cheese … but the village never produced the cheese. Made throughout England, Stilton cheese is a cow’s milk cheese renown for its rich, creamy and somewhat crumbly texture and its deep, pungent profile. Because of its texture, Stilton is mostly seen on cheese boards, often paired with a glass of Port.

The U.S. makes some wonderful blue cheeses, including the famous Maytag Blue Cheese, out of Newton, Iowa. Wisconsin, California and Vermont cheese purveyors also make blues that rival those from Europe.

Opportunities for blue cheese exist on the menu beyond bluecheese dressing or blue-cheese dipping sauce for wings. Some operators are taking advantage of blue’s strong personality, adding the cheese to pizzas and salads with great result. At Mezza Lunna Pizzeria in Eugene, Oregon, Gorgonzola is the pungent cheese of choice, found in three dishes and also listed as a pizza topping.

“We go with a domestic Gorgonzola,” says Sandy Little, co-owner of this 45- seat shop that specializes in New York, gourmet-style pizzas. “It’s got a great profile for pizza — it’s milder than most blues without that back-of-the-throat sharpness.” He goes through a five pound bag of crumbled Gorgonzola (divided into one-pound allotments) about once a week. “It’s really consistent, and ordering it crumbled makes using it very easy,” he says.

The Boot is their specialty pizza featuring house-made Italian sausage, Gorgonzola, roasted red and yellow peppers, onion, roasted garlic and tomato sauce. It consistently performs in the top five out of 16 specialty pies.

“The Gorgonzola works really well with the sausage, and stands up to the roasted flavors of the peppers and garlic,” says Little. He also features Gorgonzola on the Spin Chicken Pizza, a pizza that also boasts fresh spinach, chicken sausage, roasted red and yellow pepper, garlic, mozzarella and tomato sauce. “The chicken sausage has a sweeter, milder flavor than our other sausage, but the spinach has some tooth, which helps bridge the flavors between the sausage and the Gorgonzola. The Spin Chicken falls in the top 10 in sales.

“We use the Gorgonzola on both of these pizzas as a finishing cheese,” he says. “It doesn’t melt like mozzarella; it’s a bit chunkier, but people who like blue cheese like that.”

Mezza Lunna’s salad called “Fruits and Nuts” relies on Gorgonzola to complete the overall desired profile. Leaf lettuce, dried cranberries, candied pecans, Gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette play together, balancing flavors of sweet, tart and creamy. “The blending of flavors is what works here,” says Little.

The Bristolian Pizzeria in the college town of Bristol, Rhode Island, sources a domestic Gorgonzola for The Swoop Pizza and Gonzo Salad. The Swoop ranks in the top fi ve out of 12 gourmet selections at this 14-seat shop, which does most of its business through take out and delivery. The pizza stars a house-made Buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, red onion, mozzarella and Gorgonzola. A large sells for $14.25 and runs a $7 food cost.

“The Buffalo sauce is spicy, and the cheese just stands up to it really well and adds a whole other layer of flavor,” says owner Rob Shaheen.

For the Gonzo Salad, fresh spinach shares space with chopped walnuts, slices of green apple, crumbled Gorgonzola and sliced red onion, and is finished with a balsamic vinaigrette.

“The balsamic vinaigrette balances the sharpness of the Gorgonzola,” says Shaheen.

He sources a five-pound bag and portions out the blue cheese into sealed one-pound. bags that he stores in the walk-in cooler.

“It’s better to portion it out, so you’re not opening and closing the large bag all of the time,” he says. “We go through about five pounds in 10 days. The cheese is really fresh and has a great creaminess when melted. It’s just a fantastic cheese to work with.” ❖

Sweet Onion/Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizza

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
1½ cups thinly sliced button mushrooms
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
1 prepared pizza crust
1 ¼ cup grated mozzarella
2 tablespoons pine nuts
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add sugar and vinegar; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat; season with salt. Let cool.

Place pizza crust on sheet pan; brush with oil. Spread mozzarella, then sweet onions and mushrooms over top; sprinkle with pine nuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Bake in 400 F oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.



Katie Ayoub is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Tim Ridout, via Facebook
Big Rounds
Ravenna, Michigan

Hey, Tim. Without exception, I can’t think of any ingredient that has gone down in price. Since cheese is the costliest ingredient on our pizzas, and we buy so much of it every week, it comes to mind first. The wholesale price of mozzarella is fixed every Friday afternoon at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). A weekly average for trading on the exchange based on supply and demand is posted under the weekly block average. Your distributor uses this price when they purchase. Since the block price is a starting point, costs must be added on before you receive it and pay for it.

Typically these costs to your distributor are not cheap. They pay for transportation from the dairy to the warehouse, transportation to your restaurant, warehouse and refrigeration fees, administration, the distributor’s profit and the salesman’s commission. You can see what they see every week by visiting PizzaToday.com and clicking on the “Cheese Market News” tab on the left side of the page.

After the distributor has all of the hidden costs added up, they pay the dairy, or broker, Block + xyz cents over. The price of cheese is very fluid. Surprisingly, every distributor I know doesn’t make very much profit selling cheese. After all is said and done, a nickel or dime a pound may be the entire margin they earn on a refrigerated, clock ticking, expiring commodity.

I bought all of my cheese from one distributor. I never asked him the price of mozzarella for the last 15 years of my business. We agreed with a handshake that I would pay him Block + so many pennies over. This is confidential information and his buyer will probably have to sign off on it. The question that begs to be answered is this: what’s a fair markup? The answer depends on several factors.

1. What kind of cheese do you desire? They are all not created equally. Budget cheeses will be less expensive than premium cheeses.

2. What is your weekly volume? Do you pay your invoices promptly? Do you play one distributor against the other for the cheapest price? Are you a loyal buyer?

3. Every step up the convenience ladder will affect the cost per pound. Diced and shredded costs about 20 cents a pound more than loaf. Also, blends increase the cost.

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Cheap cheese is just that. Premium cheese is not. Ask for samples from several manufacturers and conduct a blind, side-by-side bake off. Only then will you know the right cheese for you. That said, ask the distributor if they would quote you on a weekly locked cost based on how many cents over CME you can both live with.

Finally, if you don’t portion control cheese on every pizza, why would you even care what it costs? After I implemented using cheese cups for every pizza every time, my weekly purchases went from 1,000 pounds a week to 800. I have turned on hundreds of operators to my method, and the majority of them report a 20-percent reduction in cheese purchases afterward.

Big Dave Ostrander owned a highly successful independent pizzeria before becoming a consultant, speaker and internationally sought-after trainer.

Ricotta is one of the most versatile cheeses that is so abundantly available and incredibly easy to use. if you’re not taking advantage of ricotta and its many uses, it’s time to give it a serious look. over the years through the magazine, Pizza Today web site and Pizza expo, I’ve shown more than a dozen different ways to use ricotta and today I’ll take you on yet another culinary expedition to explore even more creative ways to use this smooth and sultry cheese. here are some quick and easy uses:

Ricotta gnocchi are fun and easy to make. by making ricotta gnocchi, you eliminate need to boil, peel and rice potatoes, which takes time, space and energy. Ricotta gnocchi dough literally takes about two minutes, at most, to mix. roll out the dough, cut them into pieces and drop them in salted boiling water for about three minutes and you are ready to sauce them in the 100 different ways they can be sauced.
Consider using a super fine and smooth impastata-style ricotta for your house-made tiramisu, instead of the traditional mascarpone, which is not always easy to find and when you do it’s quite expensive in comparison to ricotta.
One of the first uses for ricotta that comes to mind is making your own cannoli cream. it takes under a minute to mix up and is better than anything you’ll ever buy. Use impastata-style ricotta, powdered sugar and almond extract.
Create a super-rich ricotta-based alfredo sauce using ricotta, cream, garlic and Parmesan with some cracked black pepper and salt. it is about as luxurious as you’ll get (unless you add some chunks of lobster meat, of course).
For breakfast you can mix some ricotta with an egg and a pinch of sugar and roll that filling into a crepe. Fold in the sides and roll it up and you now have a cheese blintz, which can be pan fried and topped with all kinds of fruit compotes.

Ricotta can be used in calzones and even on pizza. A small amount of ricotta can be the main ingredient in a calzone, but I like to marry other ingredients, which generally come from your pizza toppings. white pizza has many different angles and definitions depending on whose restaurant and region you are in. Sometimes a white pizza means there is no sauce whatsoever. other times, it means that there is just a little olive oil instead of sauce.

One more version of a white pizza has some ricotta cheese smoothed out over the crust then topped with the customer’s choice. and ricotta can be used as a mozzarella substitute by dropping spoonfuls of it onto the pizza and bake as normal.

Ricotta Fritta Pizza

Dough ball
¾ cup of superfine ricotta 3 eggs
¼ cup Parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon granular garlic
¼ teaspoon black pepper 3 ounces diced ham
3 ounces diced roasted red pepper 4 ounces chopped cooked spinach
4 ounces shredded or diced mozzarella provolone blend

Stretch the dough onto or into a 14-inch screen or pan. Make sure you leave a little bit of an edge to this so the mixture doesn’t spill out while baking.

Mix the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, spinach, roasted peppers and ham together with the salt, pepper and garlic. Pour it onto the dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella and provolone over the top. You’ll notice that this is much less cheese than a regular pizza (and that’s how I like it since there is ricotta in the filling already).

Bake as you would normally bake a pizza and serve as soon as it comes out. You’ll notice this pizza resemble the flavor of a good quiche.

Jeff Freehof owns The garlic Clove in Evans, Georgia. he is a frequent contributor to Pizza Today and a speaker at the Pizza Expo family of trade shows.

Caciocavallo (kah-ch'yoh-kah-VAH-loh). With a name like this it has to be good (to borrow a slogan). Caciocavallo, also known as “Horse Cheese,” is an interesting cheese. One theory behind how this cheese got its name is that it was designed to be carried on horseback, since it is usually sold in pairs, which could be slung over the horse's neck and carried to market. (“A cavallo" means "on horseback.”)

Caciocavallo is an important cheese in southern Italy, and southern Italian cooking. Generally it is made from cow's milk, but some smaller cheese makers in Italy make a version of caciocavallo from sheep's milk. Also, I have seen a smoked Caciocavallo in stores in Sicily. A close cousin in texture and flavor is scamorza (skah-Mor-t'zah).

After maturing for between three months and up to three years, this pear-shaped pasta-filata (cheese made by stretching the curds into strands before molding them…mozzarella is also a pasta-filata cheese) develops an interesting and intensive aroma. When eaten young it has a sweet and creamy taste. The flavor becomes more piquant the longer the cheese matures. And the more mature caciocavallos can be used as a tasty grating cheese.

Caciocavallo is a good alternative to provolone, and can be used in just about any recipe that calls for provolone. For example, caciocavallo can be blended with mozzarella to make a delicious cheese pizza. Or it can be used quite effectively in an antipasto salad or as a grating cheese for pasta.

San Giovanni's Pizza

This pizza is very Sicilian in style and presentation. However, as it goes with regional Italian cooking, it also happens to fall smack into the category of a sfincione (thick-crusted pizza of Palermo, Sicily). It can be listed on your menu under “Specialty Italian Pizza,” which will give your customers something new and different to try.

Makes 1 14-inch pizza

1 14-inch pizza shell

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow or Spanish onion

1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped ripe Roma tomatoes, or

canned plum tomatoes, squeezed dry and chopped

3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

3/4 cup diced caciocavallo

olive oil

Sheet the dough and put it on a screen or pan. Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Pinch the edges of the dough to form a raised edge. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent. Add the tomatoes. Cook for about 7 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Can be prepped up to this point and held.

Spread half of the breadcrumbs over the pizza crust. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on the remaining breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pizza. Drizzle some olive oil over the cheese. Bake.

Note: In classic preparation of this pizza, anchovies are mashed in with the tomatoes. It does add immensely to the flavor of this pizza, but not everyone loves anchovies.

American Cheddar is generally made from pasteurized cow's milk. Cheddar is often referred to as the "big cheese" of American cheeses. Its popularity is quite evident, since the average American consumes about 10 pounds of cheddar cheese each year. The process of milling and piling of the curds (cheddaring) before pressing gives cheddar its name. Most American-made cheddar gets its color from a dying process using annatto (a special form of food coloring).

Colby is a cheese that was created in Colby, Wisconsin, sometime around the turn of the 20th century, and is quite similar in flavor and appearance to Cheddar. One of the big differences between Colby and cheddar is that Colby is softer and has a somewhat lacy texture. Also, cheddar requires some aging whereas Colby does not. Colby goes by the name of "Longhorn" when it is cut into half-moon shapes.

The similarities of these two cheeses rule out the idea of blending them. But you can take advantage of their similarities by using them interchangeably. Each cheese on its own can add some interesting flavors and textures. For example, I would use cheddar in a ham and cheese panini. I would definitely use cheddar (sharp or mild, it doesn't matter) blended with Monterey Jack on a Mexican pizza. On the other hand, it wouldn't make much sense to blend cheddar and Colby in, say, a macaroni and cheese dish.

Try both of these recipes to get into the tasty pleasures that cheddar and Colby delivers.

Spinach dip

Makes about 3 cups of dip

8 slices bacon

1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed, or two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 pound shredded Colby cheese (mild or sharp)

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the bacon until it is crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a saucepan set over medium heat, cook the spinach. Drain excess water from the pan. Add the ricotta, cheddar, and tomatoes to the pan. Cook and stir until the cheeses blend with spinach. Blend in the salt and pepper. Mix in the crumbled bacon.

Serve with large chunks of crusty bread or crackers.

Pizza Arrebba

Makes one 14-inch pizza

1 14-inch pizza shell

2/3 cup bottled chunky salsa

11/2 cups drained and rinsed black beans

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Spread the salsa evenly over the crust, leaving about a 1/2-inch border all around. Spread the beans over the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the two cheeses. Sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle on the cilantro. Bake.

Fontina and Asiago are two important Italian cheeses, and both are fortunate enough to carry a dual citizenship. Born in Italy –– fontina in the Piedmont, Asiago in the Veneto –– they have been successfully replicated in the United States by skillful cheesemakers in Calfornia and Wisconsin.

In Italy, fontina and Asiago are made using partially skimmed, unpasteurized cow's milk. However, the taste characteristics are a bit different. Fontina (aka fontina d'Aosta) has a delicate yet somewhat earthy/herby flavor. Fontina-type cheeses are also sold under the name Fontinella.

Named after the village of Asiago in the northern Veneto, in the shadow of the Dolomites, Asiago is much milder in flavor. In Italy, though, Asiago can be purchased "fresco," or young (aged two to three months); “mezzano” or semi-hard (aged three to five months); or “vecchio,” which is hard and sharp (aged nine months or longer). The taste goes from mild to sharp as the cheese ages.

The fontina and Asiago produced in this country, though made with part-skim milk, are excellent cheeses, but do not share the overall taste depth as that of their Italian counterparts. Having said, that, I am a big fan of American-made Asiago for a couple of reasons: It is readily available through food distributors, and it is a lot less expensive than the imported brands. The Asiago and fontina produced in this country is (generally) aged from two months to at least five months (Asiago leaning toward the longer ageing time).

In the U.S., the flavor of Asiago is quite close to that of a well-made provolone, which makes it a perfect cheese to use on a salad or as part of an antipasti. And I would employ fontina in the same way; however, these two cheeses have a lot more life in them that that. Fontina is an excellent melting cheese, so it works great in pasta dishes and in panini. Asiago, and some Fontinaellas that are semi-hard, can be used as a grating cheese. And either cheese can be cubed and served as part of an antipasto platter or on a fruit and cheese tray. Note, too, that some cheese producers sell Asiago as part of a shredded five-cheese blend, which really punches up the flavor of a signature pizza.


FETTUCCINE WITH FONTINA & ASIAGO

Serves 4 (can be scaled up in direct proportion)

3/4 pound fettuccine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese

1 cup finely diced Fontina cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until it is al dente. While the pasta is cooking melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. The pan should be large enough to hold all the pasta after it has been cooked. Add the cream, and bring to a steady simmer for 2 minutes.

Blend in the four cheeses. Cook and stir until the cheeses have melted into the cream. Add the cooked and well-drained pasta to the cheese sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once in heated pasta bowls.

I could (and often do) make a meal of crusty Italian bread, Gorgonzola cheese, and a lusty Italian red wine (such as Barolo, Chianti Riserva or Barbaresco).

The Gorgonzola I would select would be Gorgonzola naturale, which has a more assertive flavor than Gorgonzola dolce (aka dolcelatte), which is delicate. I could also, instead of having an overly rich dessert to finish off a fine Italian meal, have Gorgonzola with fresh fruit like pears, figs or grapes. In this instance I would select the milder Gorgonzola dolce.

The point I am making is that Gorgonzola, which is considered one of the great blue cheeses of the world, is so elegantly adaptable and extremely versatile it offers many levels of enjoyment.

The town of Gorgonzola is near Milan (it is actually a suburb of that city now). As the story goes (and there are others), it was in Gorgonzola that the herds were rested during their annual pilgrimage from summer pastures in the mountain to the plain. This meant that every year, and this goes back to ancient Roman times, Gorgonzola found itself awash in a flood of milk –– more milk that it could possibly consume –– so it was turned into cheese.

As mentioned, Gorgonzola is a blue-veined cheese, and it is made from cow's milk. Way back when, the blueing of Gorgonzola occurred naturally, picking up its characteristic mold (both on the inside and the outside of the cheese) from the walls of the damp caves in which it was stored.

Gorgonzola (and other blue cheeses) is not afforded that type of luxury today. The demand for these cheeses is so great, that the blueing (greenish-blue striations) comes about by pricking the cheese with long needles (copper, brass, and stainless steel is the material), which in effect speeds up the veining process. This pricking of the wheels of cheese allows oxygen to enter and feed on the commercially manufactured mold-producing bacteria (the bacteria is mixed into the curds early in the process; the idea of the piercing simply speeds up the whole process). Generally speaking, Gorgonzola is aged for six months. 

American Gorgonzola has earned high marks on my cheese-tasting score pad. While it has little in common with Italian-made Gorgonzola (softer texture and more assertive flavor on the Italian side), I am very much at home with a well-made domestic Gorgonzola, and I use it in the same manner as I would a Gorgonzola dolce.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Though this cream sauce works great with tender, chewy nubbins of gnocchi, it goes just as well with a number of short pastas like cavatappi, rotini or rigatoni.

Serves 4 as a pasta course

1 pound gnocchi, cooked al dente, drained well, set aside

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

11/2 (one and one-half) cups heavy whipping cream

3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/2 (one-half) cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large sauté pan set over medium heat, melt the butter (do not brown). Add 1 cup of the whipping cream and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring the cream to a steady simmer to reduce it a bit.

Meanwhile, process the remaining half-cup of cream and all of the Gorgonzola in a blender or food processor and add it to the cream in the sauté pan. Cook the sauce over low heat for another minute or two.

Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce to coat. Sprinkle on the Parmesan. Toss well. Serve at once.

Recently I dropped in on a wine and cheese festival in Wisconsin. Several cheese producers were exhibiting their wares, so (naturally) I did some sampling, and chatted a bit with those manning the booths. I asked about a particular pizza cheese that is becoming quite popular in restaurants that are doing classic pizzas in the style of Naples (Pizza Napoletana). The cheese in question is provola. Provola is a cousin to Provolone (a large provola is provolone). To put it another way, provola is smoked mozzarella (provola affumicato). Mozzarella is a pasta filata cheese, as is provolone, so the processing steps are similar.

Provola is one hot cheese and it is gaining status fast, so I was amazed when neither of the gentlemen manning that cheese booth ever heard of this great cheese. Great? I predict that provola will be THE hot cheese in the coming months. I have been using provola in a number of ways, but no way is better than when I use it in conjunction with fresh mozzarella to fashion an authentic Margherita pizza. In fact, provola is used extensively in pizzerias in Naples. Take my word for it. So what if you can’t find provola? Answer: use aged provolone. It will boost the flavor of your pizza by leaps and bounds. Caution: a little bit of aged provolone goes a long way, and it is not to everyone’s taste, so use it judiciously.

Gorgonzola is my choice for the next-in-line hot cheese in the year ahead. Widely distributed from coast to coast (most of the domestic Gorgonzola production comes from Wisconsin and California), I can tout Gorgonzola as a pizza cheese (blended with, say, mozzarella) — but a stronger application is to use it as an add-on in a salad along with ripe pears (see recipe below). The earthy and tangy flavor of this blue cheese offers a pleasing taste counterpoint to the pears. Some cheese processors are packaging Gorgonzola crumbles, which makes it quite easy to sprinkle it over a salad.

Gorgonzola also steps up to the plate and hits it off with customers when used as part of an antipasto plate. I like to pair it with roasted red peppers, olives, capers, and anchovies, along with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Next, lets take a look at mascarpone (mahs-kar-POH-neh). There are countless ways to use this outstanding cow’s milk cheese (actually mascarpone is not a cheese in the sense that no starter or rennet is used in its production), which is the guiding taste ingredient in a properly made tiramisu. Though similar to cream cheese in texture (and often mascarpone is referred to as a cream cheese) it is worlds apart in taste. Mascarpone has a fat content that ranges from 70 to 75 percent, so count the riches of this great cheese.

Other than its proper place in tiramisu, I like to use mascarpone in pasta dishes. For example, swirl just a tablespoon of mascarpone in a marinara sauce and you will be amazed at how beautifully it cuts some of the acidity in the tomatoes. Mascarpone is one of the “secret” ingredients in penne alla vodka (again, just a small amount worked into the pasta and sauce in a sauté pan works wonders).

Another delicious way in which to use mascarpone is to serve it with fresh fruit for a light dessert. Combine equal amounts of mascarpone, ricotta (make sure the ricotta is drained of any excess water) and sugar, to taste. Whip the mixture gently to a cream smoothness. Layer the mascarpone with sliced fresh strawberries or fresh blueberries in a sundae glass. Add a sprig of fresh mint on top, and you have a fine looking, fine-tasting dessert.

Two more cheeses that I see in the hot bin for this year are Asiago and fontina. I have been touting these two cheeses for years. Either cheese can be blended with mozzarella for pizza, or as part of a four-cheese pasta dish; however, because these two cheeses are so unique, I like to use them as part of a cheese or antipasto tray. I am not high on either one for blending for pizza cheeses, but when it comes to straight out eating both of these cheeses are excellent. That said, I lean in favor of fontina, which can be used as a panini cheese with great effect. Another way that I use fontina is to sandwich it between two lightly pounded boneless chicken breasts, followed by a quick sauté in butter and olive oil.

Classic Pizza Margherita
Yield: One 14-inch pizza

14-inch pizza shell
6 ounces all-purpose ground tomatoes or tomato puree
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 ounces grated provola or mild provolone
Fresh basil leaves

Ladle the tomatoes over the stretched pizza shell. Evenly distribute the mozzarella slices over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the grated provola evenly over the mozzarella. After the pizza has been baked, arrange the fresh basil leaves over the melted cheeses. Serve at once.


Insalata con Gorgonzola e Pere
Yield: 6 servings (Scale up in direct proportion)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ (one-fourth) cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar and shake to combine. Let set while assembling the salads. Strain the dressing to get rid of the garlic.

12 ounces young salad greens (mesclun)
3 cups peeled, diced pears (Comice would be a good choice)
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Arrange the salad greens on six chilled plates. Distribute an equal amount of the pear and the Gorgonzola over the greens. Sprinkle an equal amount of the pine nuts over each serving. Drizzle an equal amount of the dressing over each salad.

Manchego and feta are two of the more interesting and important cheeses in the Mediterranean flavor. Manchego is Spain's most famous cheese, and is made in the plain of La Mancha. Only the milk of La Manchega sheep can be used to make manchego.

Feta is a Greek cheese. All real manchego is imported; all feta is not. Domestic feta is made with cow's milk, while imported feta is made with sheep's milk. Though imported feta can be overpowering and not particularly friendly to the typical American palate, it is still the preferred feta in areas where there is a large Greek or Middle Eastern population.

Manchego is produced in Spain, where its color ranges from white to pale yellow depending on the age of the cheese. It is a pasteurized product made of sheep's milk and is usually not sold before 13 weeks, then further aging up to 3 years. The flavor ranges from subtly salty to piquant, depending on the age of the cheese. Younger cheeses tend to be milder and nuttier; older cheeses are quite a bit more assertive in flavor. Older Manchego has grating characteristics similar to that of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

For a fast and easy appetizer or small plate offering, I like to lay slices of manchego over thinly sliced jamon serrano (Spanish equivalent of prosciutto). Drizzle olive oil lightly over the top and serve with rounds of crusty bread.

Feta is produced domestically - primarily in California and Wisconsin - and it is mainly white in color. To give feta its trademark saltiness, the brine is pickled in salt and water. The longer the salting, the harder the cheese becomes. Before using, saltier fetas should be rinsed under cold water or soaked in a bit of milk to temper the flavor. 

Feta means "slice" in Greek. Sheep's milk feta has a sharper, more pungent, intense flavor. Feta made from cow's milk is much milder and has a more granular texture than its sheep's milk counterpart. Domestic feta is available in flavors (tomato and basil, for example). Some feta is made from goat's milk, but it is hard to find.

In its simplest use, chunks of feta are drizzled with quality olive oil (a Greek olive oil would be my preference) and served with olives (kalamata would be my choice) and crusty bread.

In a more elaborate way, use it to make this delicious Greek salad:

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Serves 2

4 ounces cavatappi or rotini pasta cooked al dente, drained, rinsed

3/4 pound bulb fresh fennel, trimmed, cored, washed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup oil-cured olives, such as gaeta or kalamata, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Julienne the fennel bulb. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the fennel, lemon juice, olive oil, and ground pepper. Toss to combine.

Split the salad into two portions and arrange on chilled plates. Sprinkle on the feta cheese, olives and flat-leaf parsley.

Mascarpone (mahs-kar-POH-neh) is not actually a cheese (no starter or rennet is used to produce it), but it is always included in the cheese family when the subject of relatives come up. And in the Italian arsenal of cheeses it stands tall. A rich and lush cow's milk cheese, mascarpone is double or triple cream, which means heavy-duty milk fat (up to 75 percent). 

The beauty of this cheese lies not only in its richness and incomparable goodness, but also in its versatility. As you will note below, I have used mascarpone in a simple application pertaining to a couple of pasta dishes. However, mascarpone is an essential and important ingredient when making tiramisu (though a lot of places, because of the cost, cut it out of a tiramisu recipe and go only with whipped cream).

Mascarpone will hold its own in a simple dessert in which fresh berries are folded into it. I like to add some confectioners's sugar to mascarpone, whip it until it is creamy-smooth, then layer it in a parfait glass with slices of fresh strawberries.

Another way I use mascarpone is to swirl a tablespoon (or two) into a tomato sauce for pasta. The mascarpone gives the tomato sauce a luxuriously rich flavor (the idea is that it cuts some of the acidity in the tomatoes). 

Domestic brands of mascarpone are every bit as good (and a lot less expensive) as imported brands, so buy locally. 

Fusilli with Mascarpone and Prosciutto

The silky richness of the mascarpone cheese mingling with the sweetness of the prosciutto is the flavor center of this dish. The mascarpone is dropped over the cooked pasta in tablespoons, and mixed into the pasta just to coat. The complement to this dish is the elegant prosciutto di parma; it stands on its own delicate flavor, so no cooking is necessary.

Serves 4 as a first course

3/4 pound fusilli or other spiral-shaped pasta

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 pound prosciutto di Parma, sliced thin and chopped coarse

freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain, thoroughly. Put the cooked pasta into a sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the butter and stir to combine. Add the Parmesan and stir once more to combine. Add the mascarpone, dropping it in dollops over the pasta, toss gently just to combine. Add the prosciutto and combine with the pasta. Portion among four heated pasta bowls. Serve.

You can use this basic idea to create a pasta dish with four cheeses. Once the pasta has been cooked, add it to the sauté pan. Add the butter. Blend in a combination of cheeses (I use ¾ cups of mascarpone, 1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola, 1 cup grated Asiago, and 2 ounces Parmesan). Cook and stir until the cheeses have blended. You don't need to use any heavy cream (that's a dish for another time); the combination of cheeses will carry the dish Portion among four heated pasta bowls. Serve.

Parmesan and provolone are as different as night and day, but both of these cheeses are as important to Italian cuisine as Sophia Loren is to Naples. Parmesan is a cow's milk cheese that is made in huge wheels and aged for a specific time. Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano is the esteemed Italian version, which by law must be aged for at least a year) is a grana-in-style cheese, which means that it is ideal for grating. However, a current trend in Italian restaurants is to cut (or break) the cheese into chunks and serve it as is alongside a selection of cured meats (salumeria).

One of the finest uses for grated Parmesan is to sprinkle it on top of soups (minestrone, pasta e fagioli) and pizza. Or as a luxury addition to a bowl of steaming pasta, or on top of a salad of mixed greens. Parmesan is an incredibly versatile cheese, one that no Italian restaurant should be without.

Provolone is, too, a cow's milk cheese, but in character it is much softer, moister and chewier than Parmesan. And in taste it is more piquant than Parmesan. In Italy provolone is aged (piccante indicates a stronger flavor; dolce a milder flavor). Provolone is a pasta filata (pulled or stretched curd) cheese similar to the technique used to make mozzarella.

Unlike Parmesan, provolone cannot be grated, but it takes quite well to shredding. Many pizza restaurants use a blend of mozzarella and provolone as a pizza cheese, a technique that I highly endorse (the sharp flavor of the provolone adds depth of flavor to the mozzarella). And to take that idea one step further, a blend of Parmesan, provolone and mozzarella can add a ton of flavor to any pizza.

Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza

This recipe combines, to great advantage, Parmesan and provolone. I chose to blend the provolone with mozzarella for two reasons: added flavor and a better melt.
Makes one 14-inch pizza

1 14-inch pizza shell

1 eggplant (about 1 pound), washed and sliced into rounds about

1/8-inch thick

1 cup tomato puree or all-purpose ground tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoons dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4pound shredded provolone

1/4 pound shredded mozzarella

Place the eggplant slices on a sheet pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Place the pan under the broiler (or in the oven) and cook on each side until the eggplant just starts to take on color. Do not overcook the eggplant; the slices should retain some firmness. Set aside. (Batches can be prepped a day or two ahead.)

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Arrange the eggplant slices over the tomatoes. Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, followed by the provolone and mozzarella.

Bake and serve.

Some clarification on Pecorino Romano and Romano is in order. A true pecorino Romano is made from Sheep's milk (pecorino translates as "little sheep") and comes from an area around Rome (though pecorino is made in many regions of Italy). Romano made in this country is made with cow's milk.

Pecorino Romano, which is indispensable for cooking in the southern part of Italy, is a hard, compact cheese that is used mainly for grating. It is straw-white in color and has a hearty, piquant flavor along with a brittle, crumbly texture. Pecorino Romano generally undergoes a minimum of eight months curing in cool, damp cellars known as "cascine" in Italian. The more mature pecorinos are used for grating, while the younger pecorinos are great eaten straightaway with salami, bread and olives.

Romano made in this country does indeed have a sharp flavor, albeit not nearly as sharp as a true pecorino Romano. Since it is made from cow's milk, the flavor is milder and more agreeable to the American palate. Price notwithstanding (pecorino Romano carries a much higher price tag), many people find the sharp and aggressive flavor of a pecorino Romano too much to deal with.

The usage involved in either cheese is quite varied. I find that sprinkling grated Romano over the tomatoes on a pizza before it goes into the oven adds immensely to the overall flavor. I find that a mixture of grated Parmesan and grated Romano (three parts Parmesan to one part Romano) gives a pesto sauce the depth and character that it needs. I find that the sharp flavor of grated Romano is just the ticket for enhancing the flavor of homemade meatballs.

Here is an excellent recipe for a potato tart that uses Romano (or Pecorino Romano) cheese. This tart is perfect to serve as part of a lunch menu or lunch buffet when combined with a green salad (a slice and a salad). It should be served at room temperature or slightly warm.

POTATO TART

Makes 1 9-inch tart (can be scaled up in direct proportion)

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk, heated to simmering

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1/3 cup freshly grated Romano or Pecorino Romano cheese

1 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Boil until tender. Drain and mash. Add the butter, salt and heated milk. Mix thoroughly. Beat the mixture until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, pepper and Romano cheese. Beat to combine.

Brush a 9-inch x 2-inch-deep cake pan (or deep-dish pizza pan) lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the bottom and side with 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Shake out the excess.

Transfer the potato mixture to the cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Brush the top of the torta with olive oil. Spread the remaining bread crumbs evenly over the top. Bake the torta in a preheated 375 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Invert the torta onto a large plate. Let cool for about an hour before cutting into wedges.

This month, The Cheese Whiz is addressing two important cheeses –– ricotta and ricotta salata. Though similar in name, these two cheeses are like night and day. Let me explain.

In this country, ricotta is made from whole or partially skimmed cow’s milk. Italian ricotta is made from sheep's-milk whey. Similarly, ricotta salata (ree-COH-tah sah-LAH-tah) is made from sheep’s milk whey (or in some cases, whey and whole milk).

Having said that, I quickly add that the two cheeses are vastly different in texture and taste. American ricotta may not have the same mild and nutty flavor as Italian ricotta, but in the way and style that we use ricotta in this country it is a better choice overall, because it is quite a bit moister and a bit sweeter than the Italian version and lends itself to those dishes that we know so well (lasagne, ravioli, manicotti, stuffed shells)

Now, the ricotta salata is a wonderful cheese, a cheese that you should seek out. It is firm and smooth in texture and nutty in flavor, with a slightly salty aftertaste. In fact, the texture (dense, yet slightly spongy) of this cheese allows for grating or cutting into chunks (similar to feta cheese). I use Ricotta salata in salads of all types, including a basic green salad. It complements spinach in many ways. Ricotta salata is delicious with oil-cured olives and crusty Italian bread. Once you try this wonderful cheese and put it into use you will know why I am so high on ricotta salata.

Rigatoni with Spinach and Ricotta Salata

The great part about this dish is that it can be served as a hot pasta dish or as a cold pasta salad. No salt is used because the ricotta salata has just enough saltiness to carry the dish. Add pepper to taste, though.

Yield: 4 servings

6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup of chopped oil-cured black olives

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 pound rigatoni

10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

1 cup (about 6 ounces) grated ricotta salata

Combine the olive oil, olives and garlic. Set aside. Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with spinach leaves. Toss quickly to wilt the spinach just a bit. Now add the olive and olive oil mixture. Just before serving, sprinkle on the ricotta salata.

Ricotta Al Espresso

This is a fine dessert, one that you can make ahead and keep in individual, covered parfait glasses in the reach-in cooler. Creamy and rich-tasting with a mousse-like consistency, it can be garnished with fresh strawberries or, as I do here, with chopped pistachios. If you don't want to use the liqueurs, add 1 additional tablespoon of espresso. In place of the pistachios you can use mini chocolate chips.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

115-ounce carton ricotta cheese

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso, cooled

2 tablespoons Sambuca or anisette

1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

Put the ricotta cheese, sugar, coffee and Sambuca in a food processor and process until creamy and thick. Spoon the mixture into tall serving glasses. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Just before serving, sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios over the cheese.

Love it or hate it, ricotta just may be the most versatile cheese found in pizzerias today. Not only is it used in pasta dishes, but it can also be found atop pizzas and in rich, delightful sauces and desserts.

It’s important to understand what ricotta comes from and how it’s made. Ricotta is Italian for "recooked" — it is made by "cooking" whey. It makes delicious lasagna, ravioli stuffing, gnocchi, cannoli, cheese-stuffed shells and even a great treat that both of my grandmothers used to make me called cheese blintzes (cheese-filled crepes). Naturally, I’d be a fool if I didn’t mention how great pizza is with dollops of ricotta baked on it.

Many of us who have been blessed to learn how to make our own homemade fresh mozzarella at the International Pizza Expo have learned that fresh milk has an enzyme added to it to separate the curds and whey. It’s that curd that we can buy to then make our own mozzarella. So, what about the whey? Well, it is then cooked to make ricotta.

Like types and styles of pizza crust and sauce, there are many different kinds of ricotta. There’s whole milk and part skim, with an obvious difference in the fat content. But there are also different textures you can find in ricotta cheese. Many ricottas can be a little bit grainy, and they are suitable for making lasagna, ravioli, manicotti or stuffed shells. Personally, I prefer a whipped, smooth ricotta cheese. It’s more versatile and has a much better mouth feel.

In order to use your ricotta cheese for both pasta dishes and desserts, it makes more sense to buy just one type. Ask your vendor to provide you with samples of the various ricottas they carry so that you can try them out for yourself.

For lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells and ravioli, I like to season my ricotta with salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasonings. I call my lasagna “Four-Cheese Lasagna” and find it much easier to assemble with all the cheeses in the filling instead of layering each cheese as I’m making the lasagna. For that reason, I add Parmesan, diced or shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses to my ricotta filling. I find it important to add a few eggs to this mixture to bind it together once it’s cooked. 

There is superfine ricotta cheese available with very low moisture designed for use in desserts. This cheese is designed to hold powdered or confectionary sugar well without getting too moist and loose. Mixing three pounds of this ricotta with one pound of powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of Almond Extract makes a perfect cannoli filling. With a pastry bag, I fill my cannoli shells and then dip the ends in mini chocolate chips. 

I even attempted Tiramisu with this smooth ricotta as a replacement for the traditional Mascarpone cheese — and it came out perfect. I like to make a big batch and freeze it. First, I whip four quarts of heavy cream. When it’s almost whipped all the way, I add two pounds of powdered sugar and three small boxes of instant white chocolate pudding powder mix (which acts as a stabilizer). 

Next, I fold in six pounds of smooth ricotta. This completes my cream filling. Once that is ready, I brew a double-strength pot of coffee and sweeten it with 3 pounds of sugar. I line two full two-inch hotel pans with plastic wrap and assemble the tiramisu. 

I start by lining each pan with ladyfinger cookies. I drizzle the sweet coffee mixture over the cookies. Next, I layer in some of the cream. I repeat the process until I have three layers of soaked cookies with three layers of the cream. This will fill two hotel pans. Then I freeze it all. 

In order to get a clean cut on the tiramisu, pop it out of the pan while it’s still frozen and cut each yield into 28 squares. Wrap each piece individually and keep them frozen. Pull a few out per shift. Thaw them in the refrigerator. Serve each piece with a sprinkling of cocoa on top.

A Unique Twist

Gnocchi is a little dumpling that is usually made with potato. I find it so much easier to make with ricotta cheese, which yields a light dumpling. Simply add a few ingredients together to make a soft gnocchi dough. Here’s a recipe that’s quick and easy.

Ricotta Gnocchi

1 pound ricotta cheese

1 egg

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the ingredients together to form a soft dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour — a little at a time — until you can roll the dough out on the counter.

Roll it out into a rope form and cut even pieces. You can press them with your thumb, roll them over the back of a fork with your finger or roll them over a gnocchi board that puts lines on them. Boil them in salted water for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain them and immediately toss them in your favorite sauce and serve. 

There are virtually hundreds of sauce options. Garlic butter would be great, but if you really wanted to stick with a ricotta theme, you could mix some ricotta with marinara to make a tomato cream sauce. You can even make an untraditional Alfredo sauce by draining the gnocchi, tossing it with some melted garlic butter, a cup of ricotta, ½ cup of parmesan and ½ cup of cream.

Scamorza is the Rodney Dangerfield of cheeses –– it gets no respect. But it should –– this is a cheese that restaurant owners should take a hard look at. Just the idea of offering, say, a specialty pizza using scamorza will get the attention of any customer simply because the name is not one that they are accustomed to seeing every day.

Scamorza is a cow's milk cheese, and it is quite similar to mozzarella in many respects. Like mozzarella, scamorza is a pasta filata cheese. Beyond that, though, the texture of scamorza is chewier and has quite a bit less moisture than mozzarella. Also, the flavor of scamorza is more piquant than mozzarella, and that definitely adds interest. In addition to giving it a try on pizza, it is an excellent cheese for an antipasto tray or appetizer (using cold cuts, olives, peppers, etc.). And a panini made with scamorza and prosciutto is quite a treat.

In Southern Italian dialect the word scamorza means “dunce.” Probably this relates to its shape (somewhat like a pear), with its prominent and distinct pointed "head” which is formed by the cord that is used to hang the cheese while it is being processed.

All Scamorza sold in the U. S. is imported from (mostly) the Lombardia region of Italy, where I have seen it in cheese shops (especially around Easter and Christmas) in a variety of bird and animal shapes (pigs being one of the most popular shapes).


Barbecue Chicken & Scamorza Pizza

This may sound like an unholy alliance, combining a classic and rare Italian cheese with good ol' American barbecue sauce, but it works just great. Smoked mozzarella is the cheese typically favored for a barbecue chicken pizza. Be adventerous, however, and try scamorza — the piquant flavor may yield just the flavor profile your customers seek.


Yields: two 12-inch pizzas (recipe can be scaled up in direct proportion)


2 12-inch pizza shells

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

1 cup bottled barbecue sauce of your choice (I prefer K.C. Masterpiece)

1 cup chopped red onion

11/2 cups shredded scamorza

In a skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil for 1 minute. Add the chicken. Stir and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve. (Can be prepped ahead and held in the cooler).

In a large bowl, toss the cooked chicken with the barbecue sauce to coat. Divide the chicken equally between the two pizza shells. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of red onion evenly over each pizza. Sprinkle an equal amount of the cheese on each pizza. Bake. 

Tres quesos -- cotija, Asadero and queso blanco. These are some of the more important cheeses in the family of Mexican cheeses. They each lend a flavorful dimension to various dishes ranging from appetizers and pizza to pasta and salads. Even more, considering the popularity of Mexican and Latin dishes, these three cheeses have a place in any style of restaurant or café. All three are made from cow's milk. Generally speaking, the flavor of each one is mild, light, and fresh tasting.

Asadero is a slightly tangy cheese that I would compare in some fashion to provolone (though definitely not as firm or as sharp in taste). It is a great melting cheese, so you will often see it used for nachos or quesadillas. An Italian restaurant in Chicago serves "Italian Nachos," and uses a blend of shredded provolone and Asadero as the melting cheese.

Cotija, also known as queso anejado (or "aged cheese"), has a family resemblance to the Greek feta and Italian Parmesan. Flavor characteristics: slightly salty and mildly tangy (flavor varies a bit relative to the maker or brand). This is the cheese that you will usually see grated over pizza, soups, salads and tacos.

Queso blanco is the generic term for fresh white cheese. The flavor is rather mild. Texture is soft. This cheese softens nicely when subjected to heat (and the heat helps to develop the cheese's rather mild flavor).

Three-Cheese Mexican Brunch Pizza

In this recipe, considering the variety of textures and counterpoints of flavor that each cheese offers, there is an unusual yet enticing aroma to the baked pizza that lovers of Latin or Mexican food will find quite enjoyable. This is a great brunch or breakfast pizza and would be a great addition to any restaurant or café that serves breakfast all day. You can also use this pizza quite effectively on a lunch buffet, since it keeps well after baking.

Makes 1 14-inch pizza. Recipe can be scaled up in direct proportion

1 14-inch pizza shell

3/4 pound chorizo, crumbled

6 medium eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup refried beans, thinned with 1 tablespoon warm water

3/4 cup bottled medium-hot salsa

1/4 pound asadero cheese, crumbled

1/4 pound cotija cheese, finely chopped

1/4 pound queso blanco, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

• Cook the chorizo, crumbling it even more as you go, into a sauté pan until it has given off most of its fat. Drain fat from the pan. Transfer the chorizo to a plate.

• In that same skillet cook the eggs, scrambling them until almost cooked through. Keep them a bit on the wet side. Set aside.

• Spread the refried beans evenly over the pizza to 1-inch from the edge of the crust.

• Spread the salsa over the beans.

• Evenly spread the reserved chorizo over the salsa, followed by the reserved eggs, spreading the eggs as evenly as possible.

• In a small bowl, combine the three cheeses. Sprinkle the cheeses over the eggs.

• Bake the pizza until the three cheeses melt into the eggs and the crust is toasty brown. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top just before cutting and serving.