Short answer no. Long answer, buckle up. We have experienced that you can use whatever cheese you like on a pizza. Goat cheese, cheddar, mozza, feta is excellent, but the quality of cheese will affect how your pizza will turn out.
Mozzarella Cheese
When it comes to choosing mozzarella, it comes between high and low moisture. High moisture mozzarella, has a shorter shelf life and should be used right away when the package is open, or within a few days of being made if you are purchasing from a deli. Low moisture mozzarella is also a great choice. Having lower moisture cheese melts faster when being baked. You will avoid soggy spots on your pizza and will give you the best cheese stretch. We have used both but low moisture mozzarella is our favourite!
Shredded or Torn Cheese
Over the years we have research and played around with sliced, shredded, torn chunks of cheese on our pizzas. Honestly, it comes down to what you prefer. For more traditional styles like a Margherita, it is better torn, but for loading up the cheese on pepperoni and mushroom shredded is best.
Tip: if you are going to shred your cheese, put the cheese block in the freezer for 4 to 5 minutes. It shreds better.
Fresh Ricotta
I love fresh ricotta, not only because it is super fresh and soft, but also my favourite for adding to a cooked pizza for a smooth, silky texture. Ricotta mixed with some olive oil is a great base if you do not want tomato sauce. You can find ricotta in any grocery store but if you are feeling adventurous, make your own!
Tip: Make sure you use high-fat content milk. Low-fat milk does not separate easily into curds and whey.
Ricotta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 liter Whole Milk
- 1 liter Goats Milk
- 1/3 cup Lemon Juice or Distilled White Vinegar
- 1 tsp Seasoning Salt
Instructions
- Pour the milk into a large pot and set it over medium heat. Let it warm gradually to 200°F, monitoring the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The milk will get foamy and start to steam; remove it from the heat if it starts to boil. Don’t let it boil!
- Remove the milk from heat. Pour in the acid (lemon juice or vinegar) and the salt. Stir gently to combine.
- Let the pot of milk sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. The milk should have started to separate into clumps of milky white curds and thin, watery, yellow-coloured whey — use a spoon to check the mix. If you still see a lot of un-separated milk, add another tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and wait a few more minutes.
- Set a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheesecloth. Pour the liquid and curds through the strainer.
- Let the ricotta drain for 10 to 60 minutes, depending on how wet or dry you prefer your ricotta.
- Fresh ricotta can be used right away or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
At the end of the day, if you love pizza and cheese, put whatever you like on it. The best part of making your pizza is that you can get creative.
National Pizza day is coming up, how are you going to celebrate?
Do you make pizza at home? What is your go-to cheese for pizza? Let me know in the comments below!
