Bushra Griffith
Pizza is a beloved dish worldwide, and while the classic combination of cheese and tomato sauce is well-known, the order of these ingredients and their role in the dish can vary. The question of whether cheese belongs in pizza sauce or on top of it is a matter of preference, with both options yielding different results in terms of taste, texture, and appearance. Exploring the possibilities of cheese in pizza sauce, this discussion delves into the art of pizza-making, offering insights into the role of cheese in this popular dish.
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What You'll Learn
Cheese in pizza sauce: yes or no?
Whether or not to include cheese in pizza sauce is a matter of personal preference, and there are many different ways to make a delicious pizza.
Some people prefer to put the cheese on top of the sauce, while others prefer to put the sauce on top of the cheese. This is a matter of taste, and both methods have their own advantages. Putting the cheese on top of the sauce can result in a gooey, cheesy pizza with a crispy crust. On the other hand, putting the sauce on top of the cheese can help to protect the crust from getting soggy and can also result in a thicker, sweeter sauce.
There are also a variety of cheeses that can be used in pizza sauce, including mozzarella, parmesan, and gruyere. Each cheese will impart its own unique flavour and texture to the sauce. For example, parmesan cheese melts well and blends seamlessly into the sauce, while mozzarella provides a classic pizza melt.
In addition to cheese, pizza sauce typically includes ingredients such as butter, milk, flour, garlic, and various seasonings. These ingredients are combined and cooked to create a sauce with a thick, creamy consistency that complements the cheese and other pizza toppings.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to include cheese in pizza sauce is up to the individual. Both methods can result in a delicious pizza, and experimenting with different cheeses and sauce combinations can be a fun way to find your favourite.
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Pizza sauce recipes with cheese
While the traditional pizza sauce is tomato-based and does not contain cheese, there are several pizza sauce recipes with cheese, including white pizza sauce.
White Pizza Sauce with Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese
This pizza sauce recipe includes salted butter, minced garlic, cornstarch, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and continue whisking for 1-2 minutes. Next, slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth, thickened, and bubbly. Add salt, pepper, and pressed garlic, then whisk in the Parmesan cheese for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and continue whisking until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Before using it on your pizza, spread it on the dough immediately or let it cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.
White Pizza Sauce with Mozzarella Cheese
This recipe is an easy garlic alfredo sauce. It includes butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and continue whisking for 1-2 minutes. Next, slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth, thickened, and bubbly. Add salt, pepper, and pressed garlic, then whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Before using it on your pizza, let it cool and store it in a Tupperware or mason jar, then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
White Pizza Sauce with Three Cheeses
This recipe includes homemade dough, a white sauce, and a three-cheese combination of Gruyere, young Tuscan Pecorino, and Buffalo Mozzarella. After baking the pizza, top it with arugula tossed in olive oil and some prosciutto. The creaminess and mouthfeel of the sauce are enhanced by the butter and cheese. The subtle flavor of the sauce also leaves room for tasting more delicate toppings.
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Pizza sauce recipes without cheese
Cheese is not a typical ingredient in pizza sauce, and it can be left out. Pizza sauce is usually a tomato-based sauce, and a classic recipe contains canned tomato sauce or blended fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, Italian seasoning, and dried or fresh spices.
White Pizza Sauce
This sauce is a creamy, garlic alfredo sauce. It is made by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking in flour, and slowly adding milk while whisking constantly. Once it is smooth and thickened, add salt, black pepper, and pressed garlic. Remove from heat before adding the cheese, and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth. This sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
No-Cook Pizza Sauce
This sauce is a quick and easy recipe that can be made in 5 minutes with 8 ingredients. It is a no-cook sauce, so it is perfect for those who want a simple and fast pizza sauce. The ingredients include tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, Italian seasoning, and dried or fresh spices. You can also add other ingredients like sun-dried tomato pesto, basil, and olive oil for extra flavor.
Olive Oil Sauce
This sauce is a unique, sauce-less pizza with a drizzle of honey and a layer of thinly sliced pears, which melt together in the oven to form a sweet and sticky base. It is topped with a small wheel of brie cheese, finely chopped walnuts, and charcuterie meats. This pizza is highly customizable, so feel free to get creative with the toppings.
Red Sauce with Fennel Seed
This sauce is a classic tomato-based sauce with a twist. It includes simple pantry and refrigerator staples, such as milk, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The butter and flour serve to thicken the sauce and create a rich flavor. This sauce is perfect for those who want a traditional pizza experience with a slight variation.
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Cheese on top of pizza sauce or underneath??
Pizza is a highly customizable dish, and people often have strong opinions about the "correct" way to prepare it. One such opinion is whether the cheese should go on top of or underneath the pizza sauce. While there is no definitive answer, as both methods have their own advantages and devoted followers, here are some things to consider:
Starting with sauce and then adding cheese on top makes sense from a historical perspective. Pizza originated as a peasant food, and the high cost of cheese made it more of a garnish than a main ingredient. As cheese became more affordable, the proportions increased, leading to the New York-style pizza we know today, with sauce on the bottom and a generous layer of cheese on top.
However, putting cheese on the bottom, directly on the dough, has its benefits. Cheese acts as a protective layer, preventing the crust from becoming soggy or gummy. It also melts directly onto the crust, reducing the "cheese drag" phenomenon, where a bite pulls a string of molten cheese from the slice. Additionally, when cheese is on the bottom, the surface sauce is more prone to evaporation, resulting in a thicker and sweeter sauce.
Some people even get creative and put the cheese in the middle, between two layers of sauce, or swirl the sauce for a unique presentation.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to put cheese on top of or underneath the pizza sauce comes down to personal preference and the desired outcome. Both methods have their advantages and will result in pizzas that look and taste completely different, so it might be worth experimenting with both to see which one you prefer!
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The history of cheese and pizza sauce
The history of pizza and its various toppings is a long and fascinating one. The idea of pizza in its most basic form goes back thousands of years. In ancient times, various cultures, including the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks, produced flatbreads with several toppings. In ancient Greece, citizens made a flatbread called plakous, which was flavoured with toppings such as herbs, onions, cheese, and garlic. Athenaeus of Naucratis, a 2nd-century grammarian, mentions another type of flatbread called placentae, which were pastries made of flour, cheese, oil, and honey.
Moving forward to the Middle Ages, flatbreads with toppings were a popular dish among peasants in Italy, particularly in the city of Naples. These were called "focaccia" and were typically topped with herbs and vegetables. Focaccia is believed to be a precursor to modern pizza, which evolved in Naples between the 16th and mid-18th centuries.
In 1889, Raffaele Esposito, a Neapolitan baker, is credited with creating the first pizza with a cheese topping as we know it today. He made a pizza topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to celebrate the colours of the Italian flag—red, yellow, and green. This pizza was named "Pizza Margherita" after Queen Margherita, who is said to have particularly enjoyed this combination during her visit to Naples.
While Esposito is widely associated with the invention of Pizza Margherita, he was not the first to use tomato sauce on pizza. References to fresh tomatoes as pizza toppings began to emerge in essays and books in the second half of the 1700s, and in 1790, Roman Chef Francesco Leonardi published a cookbook with the first recipe for pasta with tomato sauce.
Pizza sauce, as we know it today, has continued to evolve, with various recipes available, such as the popular white sauce made with garlic, cornstarch, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese. This sauce is versatile and can be used as a base for other dishes like soup or grilled cheese sandwiches.
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Frequently asked questions
There is cheese in some pizza sauces, such as white pizza sauce, which is made with Parmesan cheese and half-and-half. However, traditional tomato-based pizza sauces do not contain cheese.
A white pizza sauce is a creamy sauce made with Parmesan cheese, butter, flour, and milk or heavy cream. It is similar to an alfredo sauce and can be used as a base for pizza or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.
Yes, you can make pizza sauce without cheese. Traditional tomato-based pizza sauces do not contain cheese and are made with ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs.
