Bushra Griffith
Pizza is a beloved dish worldwide, and one of the key ingredients is cheese. While mozzarella is the most popular choice, pizza places are increasingly using provolone cheese, a pale, Italian cheese with a sharper taste than mozzarella. Provolone has a classic pizzeria pizza flavour and is often blended with mozzarella to give pizzas more depth of flavour. It has good meltability and offers both stretch and flavour, making it a solid runner-up to mozzarella.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Sweeter and creamier |
| Taste | More depth of flavor, sharper than mozzarella |
| Stretchability | Solid runner-up to mozzarella |
| Melting | Melts well |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Provolone has a sharper taste than mozzarella
Mozzarella is the classic choice for pizza cheese, and for good reason. It has the perfect properties for melting on top of a pizza, browning nicely, and providing a satisfying, gooey, stringy texture when melted. However, provolone is a close second. Provolone has a sharper taste than mozzarella, and it is often blended with mozzarella to give pizza more depth of flavor. While fresh mozzarella is known for its soft texture and mild flavor, it is too wet to be used in excess on heavily cheesed, American-style pizzas. Provolone, on the other hand, comes in two types: provolone dolce, which is aged for two months and has a mild, sweet flavor, and provolone piccante, which is aged longer and has a sharper taste, making it a more popular choice for pizza.
Mozzarella and provolone are both Italian cheeses, and both have excellent melting properties. However, provolone has a slightly lower moisture content than fresh mozzarella, which makes it a better choice for pizzas with a lot of cheese. Provolone also has a sharper, more assertive flavor than mozzarella, which can add depth to the overall taste of the pizza. In addition, provolone is known for giving pizza a sweeter and creamier texture, which can pair well with certain sauces or toppings.
When choosing between mozzarella and provolone for pizza, it is important to consider the desired flavor and texture. If a milder, softer, and stretchier cheese is preferred, then mozzarella is the better choice. However, if a sharper, more assertive, and slightly tangier flavor is desired, then provolone is the way to go. It is also worth considering using a blend of the two cheeses, as this can provide the best of both worlds in terms of taste and texture.
While mozzarella and provolone are both excellent choices for pizza cheese, they each have their own unique qualities that can enhance the overall flavor and texture of the pizza. By understanding the differences between these cheeses, pizza makers can choose the best option for their specific recipe and desired outcome. Ultimately, the perfect pizza cheese may vary depending on individual preferences and the specific characteristics of the other ingredients used.
Cheese for Chile Rellenos: Melty, Stretchy, and Perfect
You may want to see also
It gives pizza a 'classic pizzeria pizza' taste
Provolone cheese is often used in pizzerias to give pizzas a classic pizzeria pizza taste. It has a bit more sharpness than mozzarella and is frequently blended with mozzarella to add depth of flavour to the pizza. Provolone comes in two types: provolone dolce and provolone piccante. The former is aged for only two months and has a mild, sweet flavour, while the latter is aged longer and has a sharper taste, making it a more popular choice for pizza.
Mozzarella is the most popular cheese for pizza, but provolone is a close second. Provolone has excellent melting qualities and a distinct flavour that gives pizza a classic pizzeria flavour. It is also used in combination with mozzarella to provide both stretch and flavour. The combination of these two cheeses is favoured by many pizzerias.
Mozzarella is known for its perfect melting properties on pizza. Its oils do not separate easily, minimising the greasy puddles that can form on the pie. It also browns nicely and has a satisfying, gooey, stringy texture when melted. However, fresh mozzarella is too wet to be used in large quantities on heavily cheesed, American-style pizzas. Therefore, low-moisture mozzarella, from which some of the liquid has been removed, is the preferred choice for pizzerias.
Provolone, on the other hand, is a harder cheese that melts well and has a sharper flavour than mozzarella, giving the pizza a classic pizzeria taste. It is also blended with other cheeses like Swiss, cheddar, and mozzarella to create a unique flavour profile. The use of provolone cheese gives pizzas a sweeter and creamier texture, which pairs well with sweeter tomato sauces.
Can Pig Milk Make Cheese?
You may want to see also
Provolone blends well with mozzarella
Mozzarella is a classic ingredient on Margherita pizzas, but it is too wet to be used in excess on heavily cheesed, American-style pizzas. Mozzarella is also known for its perfect melting properties, gooey, stringy texture, and browning ability when used on pizza. However, provolone, another pale Italian cheese, has a bit more sharpness than mozzarella, giving pizzas a "classic run-of-the-mill pizzeria pizza" taste. It is also a great melting cheese and pairs well with mozzarella to give pizzas more depth of flavor.
Mozzarella and provolone are both soft cheeses that melt beautifully and exhibit excellent stretchability. A combo of the two offers both stretch and flavor, and many pizzerias use just this blend. Provolone comes in two types: provolone dolce, which is aged for two months and has a mild, sweet flavor, and provolone piccante, which is aged longer and has a sharper taste, making it a more popular choice for pizza.
Some pizza enthusiasts prefer provolone for its taste, while others prefer mozzarella for its stretch. One pizza lover on Reddit commented, "Mozz for the pull, prov for the taste." Another Redditor replied, "Half and half is the best." Pizza lovers who want the best of both worlds can thus blend mozzarella and provolone to create a pie with both excellent stretch and flavor.
Provolone also gives pizza a sweeter and creamier texture, which pairs well with sweet tomato sauce.
Best Cheeses for Meatball Subs: A Melty Combo
You may want to see also
Explore related products
It has good meltability
Provolone cheese is a popular choice for pizza due to its good meltability and ability to blend well with other cheeses. It has a sharper taste than mozzarella, and when combined with mozzarella, it adds depth of flavour to the pizza. The combination of mozzarella and provolone offers both stretch and flavour, making it a favoured blend among pizzerias.
Mozzarella is known for its perfect melting properties on pizza, but provolone is a close second. While mozzarella browns nicely and has a gooey, stringy texture when melted, provolone adds a signature pizzeria taste. The two cheeses together create a blend that is both stretchy and flavourful.
Provolone cheese also comes in two types, each with a distinct flavour profile. Provolone dolce is aged for two months and has a mild, sweet flavour, while provolone piccante is aged longer and has a sharper taste, making it a more popular choice for pizza. This longer ageing process gives provolone a higher melting point than softer cheeses, allowing it to melt evenly and contribute to the desired texture of the pizza.
The meltability of provolone makes it a versatile cheese that can be used in various recipes, including pizzas. Its ability to melt smoothly and blend with other cheeses enhances the overall taste and texture of the dish, making it a preferred choice for pizza enthusiasts.
Velveeta Cheese: Ultimate Nacho Topping
You may want to see also
Provolone is less greasy than mozzarella
Provolone and mozzarella are both white Italian cheeses, but they differ in taste, texture, and use. Mozzarella is a soft Italian cheese that originated in Southern Italy. It is made using a cheese-making technique called pasta filata, in which curds are formed by heating milk with a whey starter and adding rennet. These curds are then stretched and kneaded into round mozzarella balls, which are then placed in fresh water to cure. This process gives mozzarella its signature stretchy and stringy texture, making it ideal for use as a pizza cheese.
Provolone, on the other hand, is a semi-hard cheese from Southern Italy that undergoes an aging process of at least two months, resulting in a drier texture compared to mozzarella. The aging process can last up to two years, with the length of aging reflected in the sharpness of the flavor. The flavor of provolone is described as complex, sharp, and buttery with nutty notes. As provolone ages, its flavor becomes more pronounced, distinguishing it from the mild, milky flavor of mozzarella.
Due to its semi-hard texture and lower moisture content, provolone is less greasy than mozzarella. While mozzarella is easily melted and stretched, provolone's drier texture makes it more challenging to melt, resulting in a less greasy cheese. This characteristic of provolone can be advantageous for pizza-making, as it reduces the overall greasiness of the pizza without compromising on flavor.
Some pizza enthusiasts prefer a blend of provolone and mozzarella, utilizing the stretchiness of mozzarella for the "pull" and the sharper flavor of provolone for a more complex taste. Additionally, provolone's longer shelf life compared to mozzarella makes it a practical choice for pizza places, ensuring that the cheese remains fresh and flavorful for a longer period.
In summary, provolone's drier texture and more complex flavor profile make it a desirable alternative to mozzarella on pizzas, reducing greasiness and providing a unique taste experience.
Blue Cheese Delicacy: A National Favorite
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Provolone cheese is often used in pizza places as it gives the pizza a sweeter and creamier texture. It has a bit more sharpness than mozzarella and is often blended with mozzarella to give pizza more depth of flavor.
There are two types of provolone cheese: Provolone dolce and Provolone piccante. The former is aged for two months and has a mild, sweet flavor, while the latter is aged longer and has a sharper taste, making it a more popular choice for pizza.
Other popular types of cheese used on pizzas include mozzarella, fontina, gouda, jack, muenster, cheddar, and parmesan.
Mozzarella is the most popular cheese for pizza due to its perfect properties for melting. The oils do not separate from it easily, minimizing greasy puddles, and it has a satisfying, gooey, stringy texture when melted.
