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Encyclopizza®
is researched, written, and complied by John Correll.
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CONTENTS
Types of Cheese for Pizza
Cheese-making Process
• Aging Process
• Degrees of Hardness
• Standards
of Identity
Mozzarella
• History
• Types of Mozzarella
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Aging Time and Rate
• Impact on Flavor, Texture, and Baking
Performance
• Purchasing Options
• Gas-flushed Cheese
• Quick-frozen Cheese
• Loaf vs. Ready-to-use
• Selection
Considerations
• Composition and Performance of Low-priced Mozzarella
• Economics of High-priced vs. Low-priced Cheese
• Specifications
and Consistency are Key
• Ask for a Specification Sheet
•
Contact the Manufacturer for Batch Information
• Get Informed-Tour a
Cheese Plant
• Whole Milk vs. Part-Skim
• Match Cheese to
Bake Time
• Receiving
• Storage
Substitute
Mozzarella
Reduced Fat Mozzarella
Provolone
Cheddar
Parmesan
Romano
Other Cheeses
• Monterey Jack
• Brick
• Muenster
• Gouda and Colby
• Swiss and Gruyere
• Feta
•
Asiago
• Fontina
• Gorgonzola
• Ricotta
•
Pizza Cheese
Cheese Blends
• Some Popular Blends
• Two-cheese Blends, or Mozzarella +
One
• Four-cheese Blends
• White Pizza Blends
•
Specialty Pizza Blends
Baking
Test
Processing
Methods
• Slicing
• Grinding
• Shredding/grating
• Chopping
• Dicing
• Cheese Cutters
•
Large vs. Small Granule Size
Sample
Production Procedure
• Introduction
• Set-up
• Chopping
• Portioning and Storage
NOTE:
Visit the Encyclopizza
home page for the complete Table of Contents, including pizza dough/crust/sauce
recipes.
Worldwide there are over 400 varieties of cheese. About a dozen are commonly found
on pizza, with mozzarella topping the list.
Cheese is categorized various ways, such as by degree of hardness, how it’s made, amount of aging, sharpness of flavor, and country of origin. Degree of hardness is the most common way to categorize cheese. However country of origin is often used, too. At one time each variety was produced only in its native country. Today, however, major countries produce many varieties regardless of origin. So most of the cheese we buy is domestically produced. Because it travels a shorter distance domestic cheese is less expensive. Plus it’s usually at least as good as imported cheese. The best imported cheese is that requiring a long aging period.
When viewed from country of origin, the predominant type of cheese used in pizza is the Italian cheeses. The most common are mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, and Romano. However, other types—such as asiago, fontina, caciocavallo, bel paese, taleggio, gorgonzola, and ricotta—sometimes find their way onto “gourmet pizzas.”
Many non-Italian type cheeses—such as cheddar, brick, Monterey Jack, muenster, gouda, colby, and Swiss or gruyere are also used on pizza. They’re often blended with mozzarella or provolone.
To understand cheese it helps to know the cheese-making process. So, first we’ll describe how cheese is made, then we’ll look at some of the main varieties used on pizza.
Most types of cheese are made by coagulating milk and then separating the solid
portion, called curd, from the liquid portion, called whey. The curd is then made
into cheese. The exact process differs among cheese varieties but there some basic
steps common to all cheeses.
FIRST, a sample of the milk received by the cheese manufacturer is tested for key factors such as percent of milkfat, protein, sugar, pH (i.e., acidity-alkalinity), total solids, antibiotics, and bacterial count. The price paid for milk is partially determined by these factors.
SECOND, the milk is pasteurized or heat-treated to kill bacteria although a few cheeses are made with unpasteurized milk—known as raw milk. When raw milk is used the cheese must be aged for at least 90 days to kill harmful bacteria. Typically, cheese is made with cow’s milk but sheep, goat, horse, and water buffalo milk can be used.
After pasteurization the milk passes through a centrifuge where the milk’s fat content is adjusted (i.e., usually reduced) to suit the cheese-maker’s purposes. So contrary to common belief, the fat level of the original milk has no bearing on the fat level of the final cheese. Milkfat removed during cheese-making is sold to butter and ice cream producers. After fat level adjustment, the pasteurized milk is cooled to setting temperature (about 88 degrees F) and then poured into a large trough or vat—the largest holding up to 50,000 lbs.
THIRD, lactic acid-producing bacteria, called starter, is added and the milk is stirred for about an hour. During that time it increases in acidity. A flavor-producing enzyme, such as lipase, might be added at this time. Also, if it’s a cheddar-style cheese, annatto—a tasteless yellow dye derived from plant seed—might be added. Or, as in the case of mozzarella, a de-coloring agent is included to make the cheese white instead of yellowish.
FOURTH, after proper acidity is reached, a coagulant—usually rennet—is added. Typically rennet is extracted from calves’ stomachs but it can also be made from bacterial cultures for vegetarian cheese. After about 30 minutes the rennet sets the milk into a firm, custard-like mass.
FIFTH, using curd knives or wires, the coagulated mass is cut into 1/4-inch to 1-inch cubes, called curd. The larger the cube, the more moisture will be retained in the final cheese and, so, the softer it will be. Cutting allows a watery substance called whey to separate from the curd. Whey contains mostly lactose, or milk sugar. In condensed and dried forms whey has many uses in food processing and baking. For example, it’s sometimes mixed into pizza dough to increase crust browning.
At this point if the curd is processed no further it’s dried and salted and made into an uncured cheese such as cottage cheese.
SIXTH, the curd and whey mixture is stirred and heated. The exact temperature depends on the type of cheese. The higher it’s heated, the harder the cheese will become. For example, cheddar and mozzarella are heated to around 100 degrees F, Swiss is taken to 110 degrees, and Parmesan is heated to 125 degrees.
SEVENTH, after 1 to 2 hours of stirring, the curds and whey mixture is pumped to another vat or tank, sometimes called a cheddaring table, where the liquid whey is drained off, leaving a rubbery mass of curd in the bottom of the vat. At this point the curd consists mainly of moisture, milkfat (sometimes called butterfat), and milk protein, called casein.
EIGHTH, in traditional cheese-making the curd is stacked up about 7 to 8 inches deep along the sides of the vat, a process called “ditching” because it leaves a ditch down the center of the trough. During this time more of the whey drains off. After sitting and firming up, the product is cut into 6-inch to 8-inch wide strips and then piled up two to four strips deep. Due to the pressure additional whey is squeezed from the bottom strips. Periodically the strips are rotated top to bottom. The process of piling and rotating strips is called cheddaring. It’s how cheddar cheese derived its name. However, today many kinds of cheeses go through the cheddaring process. During cheddaring the curd mats together and forms a more solid mass, a process known as matting. Following this, the curd might be rinsed, iced, refrigerated, or held at room temperature to ripen.
Instead of the above process, some cheese producers employ automated methods for extracting whey from the curd.
OPTIONAL KNEADING STEP. At this point if the curd is to be made into mozzarella or provolone it undergoes special treatment. It’s immersed in hot (160 degrees F) water or whey, or is heated by steam, and then is kneaded and stretched like taffy, in a machine called a mixer-molder or cooker-extruder, until smooth and free of lumps. Kneading creates a tighter bond between protein molecules and also lines up the molecules into long strands. This results in the stringy texture of solid mozzarella and its famous stretch when melted. Products that undergo this kneading process are sometimes called pasta filata cheese—Italian for “spun curd” or “stringy curd.”
The warm, taffy-like curd is then cut into portioned amounts and put into molds. The pieces are then immersed in cold salt brine to firm up, and then dried, wrapped, and shipped. Mozzarella is brine soaked for 8 to 12 hours, while provolone might be soaked for up to three days. (For comparison, Parmesan and Romano are brine soaked for 12 to 20 days.) Due to brine soaking, young cheese might have a salty-flavored surface. This occurs because the salt on the surface of the loaf (put there during soaking) has not yet absorbed into the loaf.
If, after production, it turns out that a product is out-of-spec (i.e., too high or too low in fat, moisture, or salt) it’s possible that a manufacturer might “re-work” it. This is done by re-heating the out-of-spec cheese and then mixing it with a new batch of cheese of different composition. This procedure is not recommended nor is it approved by the USDA and, so, is avoided by quality-conscious plants.
NINTH, if the curd isn’t kneaded into mozzarella or provolone, the solid 8-inch strips from cheddaring are cut into small cubes, a process called milling, and then spread over the bottom of a vat and stirred. At this time salt is added. Also, a mold or bacteria that helps develop the characteristic flavor of the particular cheese might be included.
TENTH, after the salt has dissolved, the product is put into molds or cloth-lined hoops, called hooping, and is then pressed for about 30 minutes. Common mold shapes include block, wheel, ball, and cylinder or salami-shape. After it’s taken from the hoop it might be further pressed for 1 to 2 days, after which it might be dipped into a brine solution. Then it’s refrigerated for a few days and allowed to dry. Afterward the cheese is wrapped one of several ways—for example, some types are dipped in paraffin or wax. At this point it’s called “green cheese,” which refers to its lack of age. Green cheese is firm and tight-bodied.
LASTLY, the cheese is cured. The process is also called aging and ripening. During curing, enzymes (and possibly bacteria) in the cheese break down the milk protein and fat. The result with most cheeses, such as mozzarella, is that the flavor becomes stronger and more pungent and the texture changes from firm and resilient to softer and more pasty. In fact, the longer that mozzarella and provolone ripen, the stronger their flavor and softer their texture become. When over-aged they will have an objectionably strong flavor and mushy or runny texture. The curing process varies between cheeses. Some might be immersed in a vat of brine for a few days, then taken to a curing room. Others such as provolone might be smoked. All cheeses are eventually refrigerated during curing, usually at around 40 to 50 degrees F.
In general, to produce one pound of cheese requires ten pounds of milk. This means, whatever percent of milkfat the milk contains (after fat adjustment by the cheese-maker), the final cheese will contain 10-times that percent of milkfat. So if the milk used for making the cheese contained 2.5 percent fat, the resulting cheese would consist of about 25 percent fat (based on total cheese weight). To reduce the fat content of cheese there has been a trend toward making cheese from lower-fat milk.
Aging—or curing and ripening—is a vital part of cheese quality. Several factors affect the speed of aging. The higher the fat content of the cheese, the faster that the breakdown or aging process occurs. Also, the higher the moisture (water) content and the greater the acidity of cheese, the faster that aging occurs. Salt has the reverse effect—higher salt levels slow down aging. Cheese having too much salt will be slow to age and, if used for pizza, may result in dryness and blackish burnt spots.
To develop good cheese, aging must proceed at the proper rate. If aging is too fast the gas can cause the cheese to burst, called “failure.” To control rate of aging, cheese-makers adjust the salt, acid, and moisture content of the cheese, and also maintain optimum temperature and humidity in the curing room. Within a pizzeria, temperature is the main factor affecting rate of ripening.
Curing time can be shortened, called a “forced cure.” This is done by increasing the temperature and humidity of the curing room. The effect of higher temperature can be dramatic. For instance, cheese that would normally age in 12 to 18 months at 32 to 34 degrees F will age in 8 to 10 months at 40 degrees, and within just three months at 45 to 55 degrees.
For years pizzerias have force-cured “green” or under-aged mozzarella by leaving the cases of cheese at room temperature (about 70 degrees F) for 12 hours. However, because some health departments might object to it, we avoid recommending it.
The amount of aging varies with the type of cheese. Mozzarella, for example, receives very little aging and is shipped almost immediately after it’s made. By comparison, provolone is aged 2 to 8 months and Parmesan is aged 10 to 12 months, with some varieties going as high as 3 years. Mozzarella aging mainly occurs in the distribution channel and pizzeria. Generally speaking, for good pizza mozzarella should be aged 2 to 4 weeks, or used within 14 to 28 days after date of manufacture. This assumes it has been refrigerated at 36 to 40 degrees F the entire time. If held at higher temperature the curing time is shortened.
Cheese ripens one of two ways: Inside out and outside in. Swiss, mozzarella, provolone, and Roquefort are examples of cheese that ripen inside out. Inside-out cheese tends to keep well, especially the dry ones such as Parmesan and Romano. Examples of cheeses that ripen from outside in include soft varieties such as Camembert, Brie, and Limburger. They start out as firm products and soften considerably during ripening. Properly ripened they yield to pressure and are soft and tacky, almost flowing. If over-aged they harden again, develop a thick, brown rind with a powdery coating, and have a strong, ammonia-like odor.
In addition to length of aging, cheese also varies by hardness. Italian-type cheeses are classified into four such categories:
• Very Hard – Ex: Parmesan, Romano, aged Asiago
• Hard (or firm) – Ex: aged provolone
• Semi-soft (medium firm) – Ex: mozzarella, mild provolone, string cheese
• Soft – Ex: taleggio
The harder a cheese is, the longer it takes to cure and the longer is its “shelf life.” The hardness of cheese also determines how it can be processed and used. For example, very hard cheese, such as Parmesan, is grated. Hard or firm cheese like well-aged provolone can be grated but most typically would be sliced. It could also be shredded and chopped. Semi-soft cheese such as mozzarella is difficult to slice, so must be shredded or chopped. Even at that it must be cold to retain adequate firmness. Soft cheese can only be spread.
The U.S. federal government provides regulations that specify how certain varieties of cheese must be made and the amount of moisture and fat they must contain. Even though such standards of identity assure a certain uniformity, cheese still varies in both composition and quality. The differences are caused by varying types of ingredients and how the cheese is processed, aged, and stored.
We now take a closer look at some of the main varieties of cheese used on pizza and the quality factors involved.
Mozzarella—also
known as pasta filata, Italian for stringy curd—is far and away the most
common cheese on pizza. About 90 percent of pizza companies use it, either straight
or in combination with another cheese. Interestingly, before the rise of pizza,
mozzarella was a little known item, seldom mentioned in food books. Today it comprises
about 20 percent of total cheese production in the U.S. and over two-thirds of
Italian-type cheese produced. More than 1.75 billion pounds are produced annually,
making it second only to cheddar. Cheese books describe it as semi-soft in texture
with creamy-white color and bland, milky flavor.
Mozzarella originated from the Naples-Salerno region of southern Italy where it was made from water buffalo milk. Although some still is, most of that made in the U.S. is produced with cow’s milk. Initially Italian-made mozzarella was a soft, fresh cheese that aged quickly and had to be used within a week of manufacture. A product of such short shelf life did not fit into the American distribution system. So a firmer (lower moisture) version that would last at least a month was created—which is what’s used by pizzerias today.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) specifies four types of mozzarella, divided according to moisture (i.e., water) and milkfat content. Note that the percent of milkfat is not based on weight of the cheese but on the weight of solids in the cheese. The solids portion of cheese is what’s left after all moisture is evaporated off and, so, is sometimes called dry weight. As an example, a cheese that is 45 percent moisture would be 55 percent solids.
So when a cheese is said to have, say, 50 percent milkfat, it does not mean that the cheese consists of 50 percent fat but, rather, that the solids portion of the cheese is 50 percent fat. This percent is referred to as milkfat-in-solids. It’s also called FDB, meaning Fat Dry Basis, and also FTS, meaning Fat in Total Solids.
Four Types of Mozzarella
Moisture % Milkfat-in-solids %
Whole milk mozzarella 52-60% 45% or more
Part-skim mozzarella 52-60% 30-45%
Low-moist. whole milk mozz. 45-52% 45%or more
Low-moist. part-skim mozz. 45-52% 30-45%
Low-moisture mozzarella was created from a need to lengthen the product’s shelf life and also to make it easier to process for the pizzeria. Most mozzarella produced today is of the low-moisture type (45 to 52 percent moisture). However some suppliers offer part-skim mozzarella as a low-priced “economy” option. (Buyers should be aware that there’s a difference between regular part-skim and low-moisture part-skim.) Regular whole milk mozzarella is seldom seen in a pizzeria because it neither processes easily nor bakes up well. However, with shredded and diced frozen cheese, shelf life and processability have become of lesser concern. So higher moisture mozzarella is becoming more common.
From here on, when we speak of mozzarella we are referring to the low-moisture types only, even though the term “low-moisture” may be omitted for sake of brevity.
Low-moisture whole milk mozzarella—sometimes called full-cream mozzarella—is made from whole milk, which contains 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 percent milkfat. Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella is made from part-skim milk, which contains between 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 percent fat. Clearly there’s a wide range of milkfat within each category. So, in comparing brands a buyer should focus on the percent of fat in the cheese rather than on the type of milk used to make it.
Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella was originally created from a desire to produce a lower cost product and also reduce oiling-off on pizza. However, with the removal of government price support for butterfat, part-skim is no longer cheaper to make than whole milk mozzarella. Still, part-skim is the most popular, although whole milk mozzarella is common along the East Coast and in the Southwest.
Although uncommon, smoked mozzarella is also available.
A variation of mozzarella that comes in small balls is known as “fresh mozzarella.” The balls range in size from 1/3 oz to 16 oz size and are packed in tubs of cold water. Fresh mozzarella is sometimes referred to as scamorze or scarmorze. It’s a softer, higher moisture cheese that ages or breaks down quickly and, so, must be used within 10 days of manufacture. It has a pleasant, sweet, mild flavor that some pizzeria owners like for their pizza. Delis sell it for dessert cheese. After ten days the flavor begins to sour. For storage it can be kept in cold water—as in olden days—although it must be dried for 30 minutes before processing. Another option is to wrap it in parchment paper and refrigerate it in a plastic bag.
Mozzarella is usually shipped within seven days after production and, so, receives little or no curing in the cheese plant. Instead, aging occurs in the distribution channel and pizzeria. Aging time is often listed as 1 to 4 weeks, meaning that the cheese should not be used before 7 days or after 28 days from date of manufacture. However some experts suggest that the optimum usage window is 14 to 28 days, with lower moisture mozzarella (45 to 47 percent moisture) lasting a little longer. This, of course, assumes that the cheese has been maintained at 36 to 40 degrees F. Typically the distributor receives mozzarella that’s 6 to 13 days old. So most pizzerias receive it at 13 to 20 days.
The rate of aging varies with the type of mozzarella. The higher the fat and moisture content, the faster it ages. So whole milk mozzarella ages the quickest and low-moisture, part-skim the slowest. This means that the window of usage for whole milk mozzarella is shorter than for part-skim, as whole milk mozzarella ripens (and over-ripens) sooner. Mozzarella with more than 50 percent moisture is considered over-aged after 30 days. A 45 to 47 percent moisture mozzarella is still good-tasting after 30 days, but becomes slightly more difficult to process. One advantage of whole milk mozzarella is that it develops stronger flavor during aging, thus producing a slightly more flavorful pizza.
Salt also affects the rate of aging. The higher the salt content, the slower the rate of aging.
The degree of aging of a cheese can be judged by its flavor and texture. Under-age mozzarella is white and bland-tasting and has a hard, rubbery consistency. It processes easily but bakes up poorly, meaning it doesn’t melt well and browns with a dry appearance. In addition it congeals very quickly after baking. As mozzarella ages, the color becomes slightly more yellowish, the flavor becomes sharper, and the texture becomes softer. In this state it melts, stretches, and browns better when baked. Over-age mozzarella is overly soft and pasty and nearly impossible to slice, shred, or chop. The loaf begins to round out, losing the sharp corners. When baked it may be overly runny, have less stretch, and tend to oil-off more. Although most people agree that oiling-off increases with age of cheese, a test conducted at the University of Vermont showed oiling-off to be unchanged with variations in the age of the cheese.
To achieve an easy-to-process, good baking, nicely flavored cheese, mozzarella must be used at the optimum time. This requires two things. First, the cheese should be about 13 to 20 days old when it arrives at the pizzeria. Second, it must be stored at a temperature that will produce the desired speed of aging within the pizzeria.
Pizzerias can purchase mozzarella in block or loaf form and also in ready-to-use form. As a block it comes in 20 lb units and as a loaf, sometimes called a brick, it comes in 5 lb units packed eight to a case, totalling about 40 pounds per case. Loaves are wrapped in polyethylene or some other moisture-proof material to prevent drying. They should be left in the wrap until processed.
In ready-to-use form it comes shredded, cubed, and chopped. Ready-to-use cheese tends to be more expensive than block. But because of its convenience, usage of ready-to-use is on the rise, which can put its price on the decline. Ready-to-use cheese is specially treated to increase its shelf life. There are two methods: gas-flushed and quick-frozen. Both are packed in plastic bags.
Gas-flushed cheese has had the air (oxygen) in the bag replaced by nitrogen or carbon dioxide (CO2). It can be kept up to 30 days in refrigeration. It can also be frozen. If it is, it should be done quickly and kept at a constant temperature below 0 degrees F. Thawing should be done slowly in a refrigerator as opposed to room temperature. If thawed too quickly it changes the cheese’s composition, causing it to burn more readily.
Quick-frozen cheese—sometimes called IQF, meaning Individually Quick Frozen—is specially treated for freezing and, as the name implies, it’s frozen very quickly. It comes in diced and shredded forms. It should be kept frozen at a constant temperature and should not be re-frozen once thawed. It can be applied to pizza in either thawed or frozen form. However when pizzerias first use it in frozen form they often have problems. For example, some pizzerias find that partially frozen cheese tends to stick to containers and measuring devices, making for difficult application. Also, in a fast-baking oven, unthawed cheese may not melt completely. So for thorough melting, quickest baking, and easiest application, use it thawed. Lastly, for consistent crust doneness, especially in conveyor ovens, cheese should be the same temperature with every pizza.
If the boxes are spaced apart to allow air circulation, a case of frozen cheese will thaw in about 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Frozen cheese doesn’t age. So manufacturers of the product state that it can be packaged at optimum age and then, if kept frozen until the day before it’s used, it will be of proper age when put on the pizza.
During thawing, frozen cheese tends to develop surface moisture. Because moisture promotes mold growth, the cheese should be kept frozen until a day before it’s needed and, once thawed, should be used within 72 hours.
Because frozen cheese tends to lose moisture during freezing and thawing, it’s manufactured with slightly higher moisture content than non-frozen types.
So which cheese is best—loaf or ready-to-use? It depends on your situation. If you’re trying to minimize work and equipment investment, ready-to-use offers distinct advantages. Plus the quick-frozen form presumably reduces the worry over having improperly aged cheese.
If you’re going for minimum food cost, then loaf or block might be the way to go as it’s often 5 to 10 percent cheaper than ready-to-use. And if you want to create a special blend of two or more cheeses, a uniform mixture can be easily achieved by chopping several kinds of block cheese in a cutter-mixer. Otherwise the cheeses must be purchased pre-shredded and mixed by hand. Pizzerias that buy loaves often do so because they feel it allows them to “know what they’re getting,” whereas they believe that ready-to-use cheese could have a percentage of sub-standard product mixed in.
Although many pizzerias still buy loaves, the trend is toward greater usage of ready-to-use.
Receiving cheese of consistent good quality is a major concern of many pizzerias. If you’re having a problem with quality consistency you need to sit down with your cheese supplier and explain exactly what you want. Some of the things most pizzerias need are the following.
CONSISTENCY OF AGE. The age of cheese plays a key role in how it bakes and, if it’s in block form, how it shreds or chops. So it’s reasonable to expect to receive cheese within an acceptable age range—say, 13 to 20 days from date of manufacture. A quality mozzarella is best for pizza when 14 to 28 days old. However, product with moisture in the 45 to 47 percent range will keep for up to 60 days or more if stored at 33 to 35 degrees F. Both you and the supplier should be able to verify the age by a number on the carton. If you can’t verify the age, or if a supplier can’t consistently provide cheese within a proper age range, then it might be a good idea to consider a new supplier.
Typically a distributor receives mozzarella that’s 6 to 13 days old. So most pizzerias receive it at 13 to 20 days. However, sloppy purchasing by the distributor can result in a pizzeria receiving cheese outside that optimum range.
Under-aged mozzarella will have a bland flavor and be a hard, rubbery consistency. As it ages, the flavor strengthens and the texture becomes softer. When over-aged, it’s mushy and pasty and difficult to slice, shred, or chop.
MOISTURE CONTENT. Each type of mozzarella has a specified range of moisture content. For example, low-moisture, part-skim has a range of 45 to 52 percent. Is there a performance difference between 45 percent and 52 percent moisture? Absolutely. Cheese with 45 percent moisture is not the same as that with 52 percent, even though they both have the same name.
First of all, because water is cheap the 52 percent-moisture cheese has the lower production cost and, so, can sell for a lower price. Most likely it’ll be “the bargain.”
Second, the 52 percent-moisture cheese will age more quickly, leaving a smaller window of usage and possibly over-aging sooner.
Third, when moisture content in mozzarella goes over 50 percent the cheese becomes harder to process. Specifically, when chopping in a cutter-mixer it tends to ball up rather than cut into loose granules. Also, high-moisture chopped or shredded cheese requires a large amount of anti-caking agent to prevent clumping. Some people feel that too much anti-caking agent affects baking performance and flavor.
Fourth, higher moisture cheese freezes better.
Lastly, cheese with very low moisture may not melt as quickly or completely as you would like. Longer bake time is required.
Generally speaking, top quality mozzarella will have 45 to 47 percent moisture, middle-of-the-road brands will have 48 to 49 percent, and economy brands will have 50 to 52 percent.
In summary, higher moisture mozzarella has an overly soft texture in which the cheese can be easily separated by running the thumb across the cut surface of a loaf. It also has a pasty texture during processing and tends to “ball up” in a shredder and cutter-mixer. After baking, higher moisture cheese can have an oily surface appearance and may also have a slightly bitter flavor (created by increased proteolysis caused by the increased water).
Once you find a cheese that works well, find out what the moisture content is and then ask your supplier if he will assure you that it will stay that way, with no more than 1.0 percent variance. A good supplier will work with the cheese manufacturer to get cheese of consistent moisture content. An indifferent supplier won’t.
It might be too expensive for many pizzerias, but there is a device called a moisture analyzer that can be used to measure the water content of food. One company that makes it is Photovolt Corporation (212-989-0484; 800-221-5182).
MILKFAT CONTENT. Mozzarella varies widely in milkfat content. For example, the amount of fat in low-moisture, part-skim can range from 30 to 45 percent milkfat-in-solids.
To confuse matters, the label on part-skim mozzarella often indicates the type of milk used in making the cheese. Examples would be “1-1/2 percent part-skim mozzarella” and “2 percent part-skim mozzarella.” Logically, a buyer would assume that the product labeled “2 percent” would have more fat than that labeled “1-1/2 percent,” since 2 percent skim milk has more fat than 1-1/2 percent skim. But that’s not necessarily true. The reason is, a cheese-maker might start with milk containing 2 percent milkfat and then skim it down to 1-1/2 percent during the cheese-making process, or might even add milkfat for purposes of reducing product cost. So instead of focusing on whether the label says “part-skim” or “whole milk,” it’s better to be concerned with the percent of milkfat in the cheese. To accurately compare two brands of mozzarella, get the specification sheet for the product and don’t go by the brand or what’s written on the label.
Even within a given brand, the percent of milkfat might vary over time as the economics of cheese-making change. For example, years ago there was strong government price support for butter. This resulted in a dairy being able to sell butter at a higher price than mozzarella. So to maximize profitability cheese-makers would skim as much fat from the milk as allowed by the spec before making the milk into cheese. This resulted in part-skim mozzarella having a fat content at the low end of the allowable specification. For instance, if the spec called for a milkfat-in-solids range of 33 to 39 percent, the cheese-maker produced cheese with close to 33 percent fat.
Today, however, with lower price support by the government, butter sells for less than mozzarella. So a cheese-maker can earn more profit by keeping the milkfat in the cheese rather than by skimming it off and selling it for butter. Using the previous example, the manufacturer would now produce a mozzarella with milkfat at the upper end of the specification, or 39 percent fat. A cheese with 39 percent fat will bake up differently than one with 33 percent. Of course, the product label would be the same, so the pizzeria owner would have no way of knowing that the product is changing. Again, obtain a spec sheet for the product and, when comparing brands of mozzarella, find out exactly what the moisture and milkfat percents are. Otherwise you might end up comparing “apples to oranges,” as the saying goes.
In summary, higher fat mozzarella has a soft, pasty texture in both unbaked and baked forms. It oils-off excessively during baking and has poor stretch. It tends to blend with the sauce, forming “sauce holes,” or spots where the sauce oozes through the cheese. Finally, when it cools on the pizza it takes on a transparent look, which many pizza-eaters equate with “cold, dried out pizza.”
SALT CONTENT. Salt content affects cheese aging and performance. Too much results in slow aging, too little results in fast aging. Typically, mozzarella contains about 1 to 2 percent salt. It’s probably better to be a little under 2 percent rather than over, or in a range of 1 to 1.5 percent. Cheese with too high salt content may have a mottled appearance, or an uneven pattern of hard, dark areas shown on the cut surface of a cross section of a loaf. Once you find a cheese that performs well, find out what the salt percent is and then ask your supplier if he will assure you that it will stay that way.
When salt approaches 2-1/2 percent it affects baking adversely, causing little black burnt spots or lines to form on plain cheese pizzas. It also causes excess blistering or dry spots on the surface of the cheese. Finally, it reduces mozzarella’s meltability and causes the cheese to “peak” or retain its original shape (i.e., shred, cube, etc.) during baking, a condition called “shelling.”
pH OR DEGREE OF ACIDITY. To measure acidity and alkalinity, science created the pH scale (pronounced pee-AYCH). It describes the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, including foods, in terms of a number called a pH value, which ranges from 0 (zero) to 14.
A neutral substance (neither acidic nor alkaline) has a pH value of 7.0. Acidic substances have pH’s below seven, with acidity increasing as pH approaches zero. Alkaline substances have pH’s above seven, with alkalinity increasing as pH approaches fourteen.
pH affects cheese performance much the same way as salt. The higher the pH (or lower the acidity), the slower the aging process. Good mozzarella usually has a pH of 5.25 to 5.5, or mildly acidic. Cheese with overly high pH (low acidity) tends to be brittle and have a mottled appearance on the cut surface of a loaf. It also has poor melt down and lacks stretch when baked and may have a dry surface appearance and excess blistering. Cheese with too low pH (high acidity) has a soft, pasty texture and has poor stretch and bland flavor when baked.
In terms of total cost, the most expensive ingredient on pizza is usually cheese. For that reason the price of mozzarella is a major concern to most pizzeria owners. To accommodate this concern many cheese producers and distributors offer at least two brands—a higher quality, higher priced one and a lower quality, “economy” brand. They also offer occasional low-priced, “too-good-to-be-true” specials. Before buying the low-priced brand or special it might be helpful to know how it’s possible for the manufacturer and distributor to offer the lower priced product.
To sell at a lower price the manufacturer must produce the cheese at a lower cost. To achieve a lower cost per pound he will do two things: (1) increase the moisture (i.e., water) level of the cheese and (2) increase the milkfat level. However, higher moisture and milkfat levels create a potential problem by speeding up the aging process which, in turn, creates shortened shelf life, or quicker perishability. It also produces a soft, pasty loaf that’s hard to process. For frozen cheese those factors may not be a problem but for non-frozen it is. So to counteract the problems the cheese-maker increases the salt level of the cheese and raises the pH. As a result, compared to higher quality mozzarella, the composition of a low-priced, economy brand will likely be higher in moisture, fat, salt and pH.
And what might be the problem with that? First, higher moisture, higher fat cheese is soft and pasty which makes it more difficult to process and handle. Specifically, it’s hard to slice and it balls up during shredding or chopping. Also, because of clumping it’s more difficult to measure and apply to the pizza, which can result in wasted time and over-portioning. In addition, in an attempt to minimize clumping the manufacturer might add an excessive amount of anti-caking agent to shredded and chopped cheese, which can affect its flavor.
Second, during baking a number of problems can occur. If the fat content is excessively high the cheese might have an oily surface appearance. It might also be runny, lack stretch, and blend too easily with the sauce. Finally, it can take on a transparent look. This requires the pizzeria to increase the portion amount to achieve adequate coverage.
In addition, due to the excessive salt content and higher pH, the cheese may undergo excess blistering or shelling during baking. Also, blackish burnt spots or lines might form in the cheese during baking.
In conclusion, lower-priced cheese often comes with processing, portioning, and baking performance drawbacks.
Processing and baking problems aside, cheaper cheese may, in fact, not be as cheap as first appears. In buying cheese many pizzerias focus on the price per pound of competing brands. However, they would probably be better served to focus on the price per serving. Because cheese brands can bake up differently—with a higher quality cheese “covering better” and producing a better-looking, better-tasting pizza than a lower-quality cheese—a cheaper cheese often requires a 10 to 15 percent larger portion to produce the same appearance and flavor on a baked pizza.
In short, when deciding what brand of cheese to use, first compare baking-eating characteristics of equal portions of competing brands. Then adjust the portion amounts for equal flavor, appearance, and “coverage” on the baked product. Finally, compute the cost per serving based on the amount of cheese needed per pizza to produce the desired results. You might discover that the expensive brand is actually the economical one—or at least not as expensive as first appeared.
Two keys to quality cheese are quality-oriented specifications and consistency. A good manufacturer has the type of specification percentages for moisture, milkfat, salt, pH, and shipping age that produce a quality cheese. In addition it maintains consistent procedures and quality controls—including lab analysis of samples—for achieving those standards with little deviation. Naturally, to get a higher quality cheese you must pay more. But regardless of whether you use high-priced, mid-priced, or economy brand, you should expect and demand consistency from shipment-to-shipment.
Most distributors have specification sheets for their various cheese brands. The sheets should list moisture, fat, salt, acidity, and age specifications. Use the sheets to compare brands of cheese.
In addition, a good manufacturer keeps records on each batch of cheese. They record acidity, salt, fat, and moisture content, among other things. So if a cheese shipment performs exceptionally well, or not-so-well, you should be able to contact the manufacturer, give him the batch number off a case, and he should be able (indeed, eager) to tell you the exact specifications on the batch. This can help you determine what kind of cheese works best for your product and pizza-making system.
To be an effective buyer you need to know as much about cheese manufacture as possible. One good way to learn is tour a mozzarella cheese plant, preferably the one that makes your brand. Arrange it through your supplier. The cheese company should be delighted to show you how they make mozzarella, how one type differs from another, and what makes their cheese better than the competition’s. Take along all your questions. If the tour guide doesn’t know the answer he or she should be able to find someone who does. If they can’t answer your questions, or aren’t interested in giving you an up-close, informative tour, then maybe they aren’t the right cheese company for you.
One objective of a supplier should be to make you an informed buyer. If they would rather keep you ignorant, then they really aren’t interested in your business success. And you might be better off not having them on your team.
REMEMBER: When we speak of mozzarella in this chapter we’re referring to the low-moisture types even though we may not include the words “low-moisture.”
A long-time debate in pizza circles concerns the merits of low-moisture whole milk mozzarella vs. low-moisture part-skim. There’s no one right answer to the debate. Each of the two types has advantages and drawbacks. You should select the one that best fits your situation and priorities. In summary, here’s how they compare.
PRICE. At one time part-skim was cheaper than whole milk mozzarella. This was during a time of strong government price support for butter—which enabled a dairy to sell milkfat (i.e., butterfat) at a higher price than mozzarella. Skimming the fat from milk and selling it to the government enabled cheese-makers to sell part-skim mozzarella at a lower price than whole milk cheese. Today, however, with dropping government price support the part-skim variety enjoys little or no price advantage.
CURING SPEED. The higher the milkfat content, the faster the rate of curing. So whole milk mozzarella tends to age more quickly than does part-skim. This results in a shorter usage window, or shorter time when cheese quality is at its optimum. When it over-ages it becomes mushy and difficult to shred or chop.
MELT. Whole milk mozzarella might melt a little more quickly than does part-skim but, basically, given cheese of similar moisture content and age, there might not be a large difference.
BROWNING. Some experts say that whole milk mozzarella browns a little more than does part-skim. Others say that part-skim browns more than does whole milk. To confuse matters even more, a university test showed little difference. The author’s experience is that, everything else being equal, the lower fat (i.e., part-skim) cheese will brown more than the higher fat cheese.
However, other factors affect browning more than fat level. The main factor affecting browning is the lactose (i.e., milk sugar) level of the cheese and also, to a lesser extent, the protein content. The more lactose and protein, the greater the browning. Other factors are age and salt content. Under-aged or young mozzarella doesn’t melt well and browns with a dry appearance. Some people say that over-age mozzarella browns less but, once again, the same university test showed little difference in browning with cheese age. Also, when salt content is too high, cheese tends to form little black burnt spots. Finally, freezing block cheese in a pizzeria can cause excessive browning in baking.
It’s worth noting that the desire for cheese browning varies among pizzerias. In a survey done several years ago, 55 percent of pizzeria operators wanted cheese to brown slightly, while 45 percent wanted no browning.
STRETCH. Stretch is a function of milk protein and how it was developed (i.e., kneaded) during cheese manufacture. Since protein content is similar there’s little difference in stretch between whole milk and part-skim. However, if pressed to find a difference, part-skim probably has a little more stretch.
TEXTURE. Because of its higher oil content, whole milk mozzarella has a softer texture. Conversely, part-skim has a chewier texture.
FLAVOR. Because of the greater amount of milkfat, whole milk mozzarella will have a slightly creamier flavor. Also, it develops a stronger flavor during aging.
“COVERAGE.” The ability of cheese to provide a full, yellow color after baking is referred to as “coverage.” Because of its higher oil content, whole milk mozzarella has a more transparent appearance on baked pizza. For that reason some pizzeria owners feel they need to use more of it to achieve coverage. In short, part-skim mozzarella provides slightly better coverage than does whole milk.
HOLDING ABILITY. For pizzerias that deliver pizza or hold it in a warming cabinet, how baked cheese holds up under warm conditions is important. Whole milk mozzarella, because of its higher fat content, will stay gooey just slightly longer than part-skim. However it tends to take on a transparent look more quickly than part-skim. For this reason, carry-out and delivery operations, as well as pizza buffets, often opt for part-skim because it retains a full, yellow color for a longer time.
Also important to holding ability is the age of the cheese. Under-age cheese congeals very quickly in a warmer, or hot holding cabinet. Other important factors are baking time and temperature, amount of cheese used, and temperature and humidity of the holding cabinet.
OIL-OFF. Because of its higher fat content, whole milk mozzarella will oil-off more than part-skim. Oiling-off increases with the age of cheese. Oily appearance is also a function of fatty toppings.
PROCESSABILITY. An important aspect of mozzarella is how easily it slices, shreds, or chops. The firmer it is, the easier it is to process. Generally speaking, whole milk mozzarella is softer than part-skim, so it’s often a bit more difficult to process. Also, because whole milk cheese ages faster it gets mushier faster than does part-skim.
No one type of mozzarella is best for all pizzerias. One reason is that baking times and temperatures vary. As time and temperature vary, so do melt and browning properties of the cheese. Generally speaking, the higher the moisture and milkfat content, the quicker the melt. And the lower the moisture content, the greater the browning. So to get adequate melt with a short bake time, a higher moisture, higher milkfat mozzarella might be needed. Also, reduced lactose (milk sugar) level helps reduce browning.
In conclusion, testing many brands is the key to finding the best cheese for a particular pizza.
Upon receiving block or loaf mozzarella, check the date of manufacture on the case to make sure the cheese isn’t already over-aged. If it is, send it back. If the manufacturing date is in code, ask your supplier to explain how to read it. If there is no date, what is the manufacturer or supplier trying to hide? Generally speaking, distributor’s should ship mozzarella that’s 13 to 20 days old. If less than eight days old it will usually be under-age. If over 28 days it’s usually over-aged unless it’s very low moisture (45 to 47 percent). However, cheese that’s under 28 days can be over-aged if it has been stored above 50 degrees F for a time.
Next, open a case and inspect a loaf of cheese for flavor and firmness. If it’s over-aged and unusable—possibly due to being stored at too high a temperature in the warehouse or during shipment—send it back and ask that better cheese be sent immediately. If it’s under-age, decide how soon you need to have it fully cured, and what storage conditions will best accomplish that. (See next section for details.)
When taste testing cheese, cut the sample from the middle of the loaf, not the edge. Most manufacturers salt mozzarella by dipping loaves into a brine solution. This causes the surface to taste extra salty for the first ten days (until the salt is absorbed into the cheese). If a pizzeria owner cuts a sample from the edge rather than the middle of the loaf, he might conclude that the cheese contains too much salt when, in fact, it has the proper amount.
Unless the cheese is under-age and needs quick-curing at room temperature, always put it into the refrigerator immediately after receiving it. Letting cheese warm-up for even a couple hours greatly accelerates the aging process, which can result in it being over-aged by the time it’s used.
If the cheese is approaching over-age when you receive it, store it at the coldest possible temperature, preferably in the 33 to 36 degrees F range, and use it as soon as possible. Most mozzarella that’s 25 days or older is approaching over-age.
If the cheese is moldy, send it back or receive a credit for the loss incurred from trimming off mold. To remove mold, slice off the top 1/4-inch of cheese. Discard the moldy portion and use the good part.
Block cheese can be frozen for 6 to 8 weeks but the freezing may affect its texture and baking performance. For best results, keep the blocks in the original wrap and freeze them fast (out of the case). Keep the freezer below 0 degrees F. Thaw cheese in a refrigerator and use it within a few days after thawing. Once thawed, don’t re-freeze it. Generally speaking, it’s not good practice to freeze block cheese.
As already discussed, storage temperature for block or loaf cheese may need to be adjusted based on degree of aging. For curing under-age cheese within a week, store it at 40 degrees F. For more rapid curing, store it at a higher temperature—around 50 degrees—for a couple days. To speed-cure under-age mozzarella, some pizzerias let the cases sit at room temperature (i.e., 70 degrees F) for about 12 hours, or overnight. However, because some health departments might object to that, we avoid recommending it.
To minimize aging of nearly over-cured cheese, store it at 33 to 36 degrees F.
When storing loaves, keep them in the case (as opposed to removing the loaves and discarding the box). That way you know the date of manufacture of the cheese, which aids product rotation in your cooler. Also, if there’s a problem with the cheese, you can give the distributor the manufacture date, which helps him track down the cause of the problem. Without the date that can’t be done.
Store refrigerated ready-to-use cheese in a 33 to 36 degree F refrigerator. Store frozen cheese in a freezer, preferably below 0 degrees F. Thaw it under refrigeration and don’t re-freeze it once thawed.
Store cheese processed in the pizzeria at 33 to 36 degrees F in a closed airtight container. When it’s left uncovered on the pizza-making table or in a refrigerator it loses moisture, which results in the cheese not melting well on the pizza. Generally speaking, don’t shred or chop more cheese than what will be used within 3 days.
In an effort to lower cost and offer healthier cheese, companies have created
alternatives to natural cheese. There are two kinds: substitute cheese and imitation
cheese. Substitute cheese is made from milk that has had the milkfat replaced
with vegetable oil and has had additional milk protein (called casein) added.
The government requires that it be nutritionally equivalent to natural cheese.
Imitation cheese doesn’t have to be nutritionally equal to natural cheese.
So it need not be made from milk. For example, instead of milk it might be made
from a mixture of water and soy protein, referred to by some producers as “veggie
milk.” Both substitute cheese and imitation cheese have no cholesterol and usually
contain less saturated fat than natural cheese. Some also contain less sodium.
According to a survey by Pizza Today magazine, about 10 percent of pizza companies blend in a substitute cheese. This percent appears to be growing slightly from year-to-year.
Substitute products usually aren’t used straight but are blended with natural cheese. Some manufacturers state that in a 25:75 blend (25% natural, 75% substitute) a person can’t tell the difference from 100 percent natural. A few producers go the limit and claim that most people can’t tell the difference between 100 percent natural and 100 percent substitute. You might want to conduct a test to find out what you and your customers think.
ADVANTAGES. The main advantage of substitute and imitation cheese over natural cheese is that they’re “healthier”—specifically, they contain no cholesterol, usually have little or no saturated fat, and possibly have less sodium. In the case of substitute cheese it might also contain up to 50 percent more protein. A second advantage is that substitute and imitation cheeses are usually lower in price than natural cheese.
DRAWBACKS. The first potential drawback is that a blend of natural/substitute cheese might not have the flavor, stretch, and baking characteristics of 100 percent natural cheese. To determine whether this is true or not you should conduct a baking test. In addition, some operators worry that if word got out that they aren’t selling 100 percent natural cheese they might lose customers. Of course, another way to look at that is, by offering a natural/substitute blend the pizzeria is selling a healthier pizza for its customers. So, ultimately, it probably depends on how the concept is communicated—if, indeed, it needs to be communicated at all.
Although cheese is wonderfully tasty and provides abundant protein and other nutrients,
when consumed in large quantity it poses several potential nutritional drawbacks.
First, it’s relatively high in salt and, therefore, high in sodium. Second, it
contains cholesterol. Third, it’s high in milkfat, which means it contains a fairly
high amount of saturated fat.
In an effort to overcome these drawbacks, reduced fat cheese products are being introduced. Basically there’s three levels of reduced fat cheese. Products labeled “reduced fat” will usually have 33 to 50 percent less fat. Those labeled “low-fat” will usually have 66 to 75 percent less fat. And, of course, those called “non-fat” will be free of fat. Some brands of low-fat cheese replace the fat with Simplesse®, a non-fat dairy supplement that provides the creamy texture of fat.
Compared to “regular fat” cheese, a reduced fat product will tend to be firmer, easier to process, slower melting, faster congealing after baking, have less butterfat flavor, and have less oiling-off. It will also be lower in sodium. For uniform melting, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board recommends shredding it to the smallest possible shred, or chopping it to a very fine granulation.
Given the trend to increasing health-consciousness, reduced fat cheeses will probably grow in importance.
Provolone—which
comes from the Neapolitan word “prova,” meaning ball-shaped—is the second most
popular cheese for pizza. A pizza magazine survey showed about 35 percent of
pizza companies using it, often in combination with mozzarella, although some
use it straight. The main users of provolone, according to another survey, are
the East and West Coast regions.
Provolone is a firm cheese with a smooth texture, a golden exterior color, creamy interior, and, if smoked, a robust, smoky flavor. The maximum allowable moisture content is 45 percent and the minimum allowable milkfat-in-solids percent is also 45 percent. It comes in both smoked and unsmoked varieties. There’s also a raw milk version (made from unpasteurized milk).
Manufacture of provolone is similar to mozzarella—it goes through the same kneading process that provides it with stringiness and stretch. However there are a couple differences from mozzarella. First, an additional enzyme, called lipase, is added to the milk. This increases the breakdown of milkfat during aging, which gives provolone a stronger flavor. In addition the cheese is often “smoked” by curing in a brine containing liquid smoke flavor, which further enhances its flavor.
The curing period is from 2 to 8 months. Like mozzarella, when under-age it doesn’t melt down well during baking. If over-age it has a strong pungent flavor and tends to oil-off. Because of variation in aging period and production methods, brands of provolone can vary widely in flavor—ranging from mild, almost like mozzarella, to an intense smoky flavor. Generally, the stronger the flavor, the higher the price.
It comes in a variety of sizes and shapes—including ball, pear, and salami or sausage-like cylinder. The cylinder is most commonly used in pizzerias. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight wrap.
The third most
popular cheese for pizza is cheddar, which is usually blended with mozzarella.
One source reports that cheddar’s greatest popularity is along the East Coast
and Southern regions.
Cheddar comes in various forms and colors, ranging from white to yellow to deep orange. Orange cheddar finds its greatest popularity in the Southern region.
Cheddar must contain no more than 39 percent moisture and at least 50 percent milkfat-in-solids. Typical aging is 1 to 12 months. The longer it’s aged, the stronger is its flavor. Mild cheddar is about three months old, medium is about six months, and sharp is six to twelve months. Extra sharp is beyond that. Also, the older it is, the more it oils-off in baking.
Cheddar melts well but, unlike mozzarella and provolone, it doesn’t provide stretch, which is why it’s blended rather than used straight. When used in large quantities, the milder versions are probably preferred over the sharper ones. For storage, refrigerate cheddar in an airtight wrap.
Named after
the city of Parma, Italy—and, therefore, capitalized—Parmesan is the most popular
of the very hard cheeses. Although Americans consider it to be a distinct type
of cheese, more correctly, “Parmesan” refers to a family of hard-type Italian
cheeses, sometimes called Grana-style cheese, meaning granular, of which Romano
is a member, too. In America, Parmesan is mainly used for grating, including
onto pizza. However, in Italy it’s often eaten as a dessert cheese.
It can be purchased in two basic forms: (1) fresh—sometimes called “wet” or “full moisture” Parmesan—and (2) dehydrated or dried (mostly used for shakers). The best flavor comes from fresh Parmesan, which can be purchased either as a wheel or block or as “fresh grated.” A pizzeria that grates a lot of fresh Parmesan would probably benefit from a special cheese grating machine, or a grating attachment on a mixer or vegetable cutter.
Parmesan is light yellow with a brownish exterior, has a hard, granular texture and a sharp, nutty flavor. The maximum allowable moisture content for fresh Parmesan is 32 percent and minimum milkfat-in-solids is also 32 percent. It requires 10 to 12 months or longer for aging. Some varieties, such as vecchio and stravecchio, are aged three years or more. Dehydrated Parmesan has a maximum 18 percent moisture level.
Some brands of grated dehydrated Parmesan are coated with an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping. If this cheese is used in a sauce (e.g., Alfredo sauce) it doesn’t easily dissolve due to the anti-caking agent, resulting in the sauce having a grainy texture. To avoid this problem, buy block Parmesan and grate it fresh.
Store fresh Parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As such it has about a 30-day shelf life. Dehydrated Parmesan can be stored unrefrigerated and has at least a three month shelf life at room temperature—longer when stored cold.
Romano, named for its area of origin (the countryside surrounding Rome), is another very hard grating-type cheese sometimes used on pizza. Italian Romano, called Pecorino and also Incanestrato, is made from ewe’s milk but domestic versions often contain cow’s milk, which produces a milder flavored cheese. To produce a sharper flavor with cow’s milk manufacturers add lipase enzyme. Like Parmesan it comes fresh (bulk or grated) and dehydrated. The fresh form has the stronger flavor.
Fresh Romano is higher in moisture and fat content than is fresh Parmesan, with a maximum of 34 percent moisture and a minimum of 38 percent milkfat-in-solids. It has a stronger flavor than Parmesan and is aged for five months or more.
Refrigerate fresh Romano in an airtight wrap. Dehydrated Romano has a maximum 18 percent moisture.
Monterey Jack, or simply Jack or Monterey, is a semi-soft cheese that has found its greatest pizzeria acceptance in the West and Southwest. It originates from California. There are several varieties. Regular Jack has no more than 44 percent moisture and at least 50 percent milkfat-in-solids. A higher moisture version has over 44 percent moisture. There’s a dry Jack that’s used for grating.
Good quality Monterey Jack has many small holes and a slightly dull, unshiny surface. Poorer quality cheese has large, splotchy holes from excessive gas development during aging and also has a bitter flavor.
Brick cheese, which took its name from its original shape, is a semi-hard, smooth cheese with many small, round holes. The interior is light yellow to orange and it has a brownish rind. It originated in the U.S. and resembles cheddar but has a lower acidity. It comes both fresh and cured, with the cured variety having stronger flavor. Some pizzerias use all brick and no mozzarella. Maximum moisture is 44 percent (usually 39 to 42 percent) and minimum milkfat-in-solids of 50 percent.
Muenster—sometimes spelled Münster—resembles brick in color and texture but is often milder-flavored. It ages by the outside-in process and develops a creamy, delicate flavor. Some pizza chains blend two parts mozzarella with one part muenster. It contains not more than 46 percent moisture (usually 42 to 44 percent) and not less than 50 percent milkfat-in solids.
Gouda is a cheese of Dutch origin. It’s similar in color to cheddar and resembles a medium cheddar in flavor, but is sweeter and lower in fat.
Colby is like cheddar except with a slightly higher moisture content. It’s also a little tougher and more rubbery than cheddar.
Swiss and gruyere are hard cheeses with a rich, salty, nutlike flavor. For Swiss, milkfat-in-solids percent is a minimum 43 percent and moisture is a maximum 41 percent. The specs for Gruyere are 45 percent fat and 39 percent moisture. Although a few pizzerias blend in Swiss, some cheese experts advise against it—arguing that the flavor of Swiss does not combine well with an oregano-flavored tomato sauce. Also, Swiss congeals and gets rubbery quite quickly. So if used, it should be in small amounts (less than 10 percent).
Feta is a soft, white, salty “pickled” cheese of Greek origin. Traditionally it’s made from sheep or goat milk, but in the U.S. it’s usually made with cow’s milk. To enhance flavor, some pizzerias crumble it over mozzarella on a pizza.
Asiago, sometimes dubbed “the cheddar of Italy” because of its widespread consumption in that country, originated in the Italian alps. It varies in hardness depending on age. Flavorwise, it’s a cross between cheddar and Parmesan. It comes in three forms: Fresh or mild, Medium, and Old. Fresh is semi-soft and medium is firm. Both can be shredded. Old asiago is a very hard grating cheese which is sometimes used in place of Parmesan or Romano.
Fontina is a firm, rich, buttery-flavored Italian-type cheese. It’s often lightly smoked. Soft varieties are sliced or shredded; firmer types are grated. It has not more than 47 percent moisture and not less than 44 percent milkfat-in-solids.
Gorgonzola is a mold-ripened cheese with a crumbly, semi-soft texture and a flavor similar to Roquefort or Bleu. It’s sometimes referred to as the “Bleu cheese of Italy.” It finds use in making “gourmet-style” pizzas that have no tomato sauce. It’s sometimes used as part of a blend of exotic cheeses.
Ricotta is a fresh, white, uncured cheese that has about 80 percent moisture and is low in fat. Originally it was made from the whey that drained off during the making of mozzarella, cheddar, and other cured cheeses. However, today it’s made from whole and part-skim milk. It’s used in Italian baked goods and pasta dishes and is also sometimes used in making “white pizza,” or pizza which has no tomato sauce. The ricotta is spread onto the dough in place of sauce, then topped with other cheeses and toppings. It also comes in a low-fat version.
Some manufacturers market “pizza cheese”—one of the more common brands being Milwaukee Pizza Cheese. It is similar to mozzarella but, because it isn’t kneaded during manufacture, it doesn’t stretch as much. In addition there is no USDA standard of identity for the product, so the only way to know how it works is to do a baking test.
Pizza cheese was created from a desire to provide a lower cost substitute for mozzarella. Some pizzerias also use it because they feel it doesn’t oil-off as much. For pizza it’s usually blended with mozzarella.
According
to a pizza magazine survey about 33 percent of pizza companies use a cheese blend.
Basically, there are two kinds of blends: (1) blends of natural cheese with substitute cheese and (2) blends of two or more natural cheeses. We’ve already discussed the first kind in the section on Substitute Mozzarella, so this section deals with the second kind—natural blends.
To most pizzeria owners it’s a given that pizza needs stretchy cheese. The most effective way to accomplish this is with mozzarella or provolone. However some owners desire more cheese flavor than mozzarella offers, or simply want to create a pizza flavor different from that of the competition. A blend might help.
Most blends contain mozzarella as the main cheese plus one to three secondary cheeses. Mozzarella (or provolone) provides the foundation and stretch, the secondary cheeses provide the flavor accent and possibly color enrichment. To maintain stretch, mozzarella (or provolone) should comprise at least 50 percent of the blend.
Before listing blending ideas we point out that there’s much to be said for a good 100 percent mozzarella pizza. A quality mozzarella, properly aged, in ample portion, on a pie that’s properly baked, is all that many pizza-eaters need—or want—in their pizza cheese. In other words, if you use mozzarella, the first priority should be to produce a pizza with a top grade cheese. No blend will overcome the shortcomings of poor quality, chincy-portion, or under- or over-aged product. However, if you already serve an ample portion of top notch cheese and you want to give it a different twist, here’s some ideas to consider.
Surveys show that the most common blends are (in order of popularity):
1. Mozzarella + provolone
2. Mozzarella + cheddar
3. Two mozzarellas (“fresh” and smoked are two alternatives for mixing with regular mozzarella)
4. Mozzarella + provolone + cheddar (a typical ratio is 80 percent mozz + 10 percent prov + 10 percent cheddar; another one is 50 percent cheddar + 25 percent mozz + 25 percent prov). Test substituting Monterey Jack for the provolone.
A Pizza Today magazine article (Jan., 1988) states that mozzarella + provolone is the universal favorite, while mozzarella with highly aged provolone is found on the West Coast. It goes on to say that mozzarella + cheddar is largely found on the East Coast. In addition, mozzarella plus muenster or brick is a popular Midwest blend.
Any of the cheeses described in this section can be combined with mozzarella. Some of the more common combinations include the following:
• Mozzarella + brick (Chicago pizza expert, Pat Bruno, Jr., recommends 70% Mozzarella with 30% brick.)
• Mozzarella + muenster
• Mozzarella + Monterey Jack
• Mozzarella + Parmesan or Romano
• Mozzarella + gouda or colby
• Mozzarella + Swiss or gruyere
• Mozzarella + fontina
A non-mozzarella two-cheese blend recommended by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is 60 percent Monterey Jack with 40 percent mild cheddar. Another unique blend is 70 percent mozzarella with 30 percent crumbled feta.
Looking for something a little more complex and “exotic?” Here are a few ideas:
• Mozzarella + provolone + cheddar + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + provolone + Asiago + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + cheddar + fontina + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + gruyere + smoked gouda + Parmesan
Romano might be substituted for Parmesan in the above combinations. Also, if you want a yellower color to your pizza cheese, use orange cheddar. If you want to retain a white color, use white cheddar.
In recent years some pizzerias have added sauceless pizza to the menu—often called “white pizza.” A basic preparation method is to spread a soft uncured cheese, such as ricotta, onto the dough in place of sauce, then top it with one or more other cheeses. Without the tomato and spice flavor it opens the door to trying more exotic-type cheeses, such as gorgonzola, bel paese, bleu, and brie. Some combinations recommended by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board include:
• Muenster + brie + blue
• Havarti + bel paese + blue
• Brick + smoked gouda
• Fontina + gruyere
Other combinations include ricotta plus:
• Mozzarella + Romano + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + gouda + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + gorgonzola + Parmesan
• Mozzarella + bel paese + Romano.
Cheese blends are also used to create specialty pizzas. For example, a blend of ricotta and feta cheese might be used to make “Greek pizza.” And the Monterey Jack with cheddar blend would be appropriate for a “Mexican pizza.”
IN CONCLUSION, there are hundreds of possible cheese combinations. If the above blends don’t do the job, let your imagination be your guide. For ideas, stroll through the cheese section of a well-stocked deli or supermarket. Also, ask your cheese supplier what other cheeses he handles. For written information on cheeses and cheese blending, contact the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, 800-373-9662.
Lastly, put your best ideas to a Baking Test.
To evaluate
a cheese or cheese blend, compare it with your current cheese or blend in a Baking
Test. The Baking Test section of the Dough-making
chapter describes how to do it. Whether testing dough, sauce, or cheese, the basic
procedure is the same. The main idea is to make and bake two identical pizzas,
with every ingredient being exactly the same except for one ingredient—in this
case, the cheese. Generally it’s best to leave off the toppings so cheese flavor
can be fully exposed, or else run two tests: One with toppings and one without.
When evaluating the product do it as a customer would. For example, if the product is meant for carry-out or delivery, put it into a box and subject it to the same conditions as a carry-out or delivery pizza, then evaluate it, say, 15 minutes after baking. For a dine-in pizza, evaluate it 3 to 5 minutes after baking.
In evaluating baked cheese consider the following:
• MELT and FLOW – Did the cheese properly melt and flow? Or did it (a) “peak” from under-melting, thereby leaving the outline of the original shape of the cheese pieces or (b) become overly runny and mix with the sauce, resulting in “sauce spots?”
• TEXTURE and STRETCH – Is it the proper gooiness, neither too tough nor too soft? When a slice is pulled away, does it stretch properly, or is there too little or too much stringiness?
• COLOR – Does it have the color you want?
• BROWNING – Did it brown (or not brown) to your satisfaction?
• ABSENCE OF BURNING – Is it free of burnt spots or lines?
• COVERAGE – Does an adequate portion give the appearance of fully covering the pizza, or is there a transparent look to the cheese, thereby giving the impression of small portion?
• FLAVOR – Does it taste the way you want it to? Is it as good as you want it to be? Does it have the butteriness and/or smoky flavor you might want? How well does the flavor complement the sauce, toppings, crust?
• GREASINESS – Is there excessive oiling-off?
• HOLDING ABILITY – When kept in a warmer or delivery bag, does the cheese retain full color and soft texture for a reasonable time, or does it become transparent and hard (i.e., congealed) too quickly?
• Is there anything else about the cheese that you like or dislike?
Cheese in block, or loaf, form must be processed before applying to a pizza. A
pizzeria has four options for preparing cheese: Slicing, grinding, shredding/grating,
and chopping. The following six guidelines apply in all four methods.
1. The firmer the cheese, the easier it is to process. Whether sliced, shredded, or chopped, soft cheese creates problems.
2. The colder the cheese, the firmer it is. So leave it in the cooler until just before processing—in other words, don’t bring it out and set it on a table for an hour or two.
3. The older the mozzarella, the softer and more difficult it is to process. So try to avoid using over-aged mozzarella. To make mushy over-age cheese easier to process, put it into the freezer, but don’t leave it so long that it freezes.
4. The higher the moisture content, the softer and more difficult the cheese is to process. So try to avoid using mozzarella with too much moisture.
5. The higher the milkfat content, the softer and more difficult the cheese is to process.
6. The warmer the cheese is allowed to become, the more apt it is to mold. So to reduce mold, minimize warm periods—that is, put it into the cooler right after processing.
For uniform slicing, cheese must be of the firm variety, like aged provolone. Semi-soft cheese, such as mozzarella, can be sliced but it’s often difficult. It tends to stick to the slicer platform, causing the block to bounce and lean, which results in ragged, uneven slices. To reduce sticking and make for easier slicing, spray the platform and slicer blade with a thin coating of cooking oil. The easiest cheese to slice is young cheese because it has the firmest texture.
Make sure the slicer blade is sharp. Also, the most uniform slices are usually obtained on slow speed. Unless you use fairly thick slices, slicing is not a recommended processing method. In storage, slices tend to stick together and, if they’re thin, are often difficult to separate—which slows down pizza-making.
For information on slicers, see the Slicer section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.
Some pizzerias grind cheese in a food chopper or meat grinder. A grinder contains a large screw-shaped shaft which chops food into pieces and forces it through small holes in a metal disc. Grinding is usually done with an attachment mounted on a mixer, but separate grinding machines are available. For details on grinders, see the Grinders section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.
For grinding, cheese must first be cut into rectangles about the size of a 1/4-pound butter stick. Then it’s pushed into the grinder one piece at a time. The result of grinding is short, rod-shaped pieces about 1/8 to 1/4 inch diameter. The diameter is determined by the size of the holes in the metal disc. Cheese grinding is slow and time-consuming and, so, is not recommended for large quantity processing.
Pizzerias that shred cheese usually use a vegetable cutting attachment mounted on the mixer, but separate cutting-shredding machines are available. For details on shredders, see the Shredders section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.
For shredding with an attachment on a mixer, cheese must be cut into blocks about 1-1/2 inches wide. The width of the block determines the length of the shred. The size of the hole in the shredder plate determines the thickness of the shred. Generally speaking, except for reduced fat cheese, thicker is better than thinner because thicker pieces dry out less in baking.
Like grinding, shredding can be slow and time-consuming. To save time, people sometimes run the shredder at fast speed and push the cheese in hard. However, when pushed too hard the cheese acts like a brake and slows down the shredder. It also heats up the cheese. When shredding time begins to lengthen it probably means that the holes in the plate are becoming dull. This is the time to replace the old plate with a new one.
Shredded cheese produced from soft (over-age or high moisture) mozzarella tends to mat together during storage. The result is inconsistent portioning and slower pizza-making.
Very hard cheeses, such as Parmesan and Romano, are grated. Grating is done like shredding except a special grating plate is used.
Cheese can be quickly and uniformly chopped in a cutter-mixer. It’s also great for creating a cheese blend because it disperses the cheeses uniformly while chopping. For details on cutter-mixers, see the Cutter-mixers section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.
To chop cheese with a cutter-mixer the blocks must be cut into 2-1/2 lb pieces (5 lb loaves cut in half), stacked on the blades, the lid closed, and the machine run for about 20 seconds. It chops 20 lbs per batch.
For a detailed procedure on chopping cheese, see the Sample Production Procedure section.
When chopping part-skim mozzarella with high moisture content (50 to 52 percent range), the cheese granules tend to “ball up,” or form into marble-sized pieces. This can slow down pizza-making. However this potential drawback can be a benefit to pizzerias that want to avoid cheap, high-moisture cheese, as the “balling effect” alerts them to excessive moisture level. For uniformly chopped, free-flowing product, use cold cheese, keep the cutting blades sharp, and avoid cheap, high-moisture product. Also, try to avoid over-age cheese.
A cutter-mixer can save considerable time and labor for a medium-to-high-volume pizzeria.
Cheese can be diced using a specialized dicing machine. For details on dicers, see the Dicers section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter. The advantage of diced cheese is uniform chunk size and even flow, which helps achieve consistent portioning and spreading. Such machines are too expensive for most pizzerias but might be a consideration for a commissary or cheese plant.
To prepare a 5 lb or 20 lb block of cheese for chopping, shredding, or grinding it first must be cut into smaller pieces. Cutting it with a knife is difficult. To ease the work a pizzeria might use a special cheese cutter. They consist of a wire or a thin blade. Sellers of cheese cutters are listed in the Cheese Cutters section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.
Pizzerias sometimes grind, shred, or chop cheese into the smallest possible size because it’s easier to spread and appears to “cover better” on the unbaked pizza. However, when the shred or chop is too small it also dries out excessively during baking. This reduces cheese stretch and also causes it to congeal more quickly during holding. As a rule, the wider or larger the granule, the less it dries out in baking. So for stretch, appearance, and holding ability, a thicker granule is preferred over a thinner one. An exception to this rule would occur with reduced fat cheese. To achieve full melt with reduced fat cheese, some experts recommend grinding it to a very small granule.
This procedure is for chopping cheese using a 45-qt cutter-mixer.
A key to quality pizza is consistent cheese portioning. And consistent portioning often depends on producing cheese of similar grind from batch to batch.
The basis for consistency is a simple, clearly written procedure. With it, effective training and implementation are possible. Without it, they’re difficult.
There’s no one best cheese preparation procedure. It differs from company to company depending on such things as type of cheese, amount being processed, equipment, space, and owner preferences. So the following procedure is not given as a recommendation, but as an example. It is meant to show how a procedure might be written, not how cheese should be processed in every pizzeria. It covers a medium-to-high volume pizzeria that prepares cheese in a 45-qt cutter-mixer. (For details about cutter-mixers, see the Cutter-mixers section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter. Keep in mind that times and procedures vary between brands of cutter-mixers. This procedure happens to be written for a Stephan, Westglen, or Berkel model.)
In this sample procedure there is no blending. However, blending can be easily achieved by combining the desired proportion of blended cheeses within each batch. In this procedure it’s assumed that the mozzarella is in 5 lb blocks (40 lb cases). However 20 lb blocks can be used as easily.
Cheese-chopping is the simplest of food prep processes but you must follow procedures to do it properly and quickly. By following these steps you will have a consistently uniform product and minimal wasted time.
1. Obtain the production figures from the manager.
2. Clear the tables and work area of unneeded items.
3. Gather utensils:
• Cutting board (position on table next to cutter-mixer)
• 2 tubs for dumping cheese
• 1 plastic scoop
• Rubber spatula
• Sharp cook’s knife
• Packaging for cheese (plastic bags and ties, or cheese tubs and lids)
• Cheese crates and dolly
• Cheese cutter (if you have one)
4. Gather ingredients:
• Mozzarella cheese
5. Assemble the cutter-mixer for cheese chopping:
A) Remove the kneading shaft, if not already removed.
B) Attach the cutting shaft. Be careful with the sharp blades. Screw down the locking nut snugly, but not overly tight. For tightening (or removing) the locking nut, use the spanner and peg wrenches.
C) Attach the mixing baffle and plastic inspection cover.
D) Tighten the locking handle and insert the locking pin.
Blade Sharpening
For good cheese chopping the blades must be sharp. So once a week remove
the cutting shaft and sharpen the blades. Sharpening is done by drawing a steel-working
file 3 to 4 times across the top edge of each blade. Push the file into
the blade rather than away from it. After filing the top, give the bottom edge
one filing to complete sharpening.
6. Remove 4 cases of cheese from the walk-in refrigerator and place them on the table near the cutter-mixer. Do not bring out more than four cases at one time. Warm cheese does not cut properly.
7. With the cook’s knife, open a case and stack 4 loaves on the table. Remove the wrapping by slitting it lengthwise with the knife and pulling it off.
8. Cut each loaf in half widthwise, making 8 blocks of cheese.
1. Stack 4 blocks of cheese on top of each cutter-mixer blade. Do not drop the blocks on the blades. (If you’re blending cheese, pile the secondary cheeses on top of the mozzarella blocks.)
2. Prepare the cutter-mixer for chopping:
A) Close the lid without knocking the blocks off the blades. To do so, position the mixing baffle so it comes down between the two cheese stacks.
B) Lock the bowl latch.
C) Close the plastic inspection cover.
D) Tighten the locking handle and insert the locking pin.
3. Grasp the mixing baffle handle with your right hand. With your left hand, turn on the cutter-mixer to low speed by pushing the handle ONE notch away from you (or by pressing the start button). At exactly the same time, FORCEFULLY turn the mixing baffle CLOCKWISE.
NOTE: If the cutter-mixer fails to start chopping, immediately turn off the machine, re-stack the cheese on the blades, and start over. Re-read the above directions and this time forcefully start turning the baffle clockwise at the same time you turn on the machine.
4. Chop the cheese for exactly 20 seconds. Continue turning the mixing baffle the entire time. When done, the cheese should be the same granulation as that shown in the photo on the wall.
NOTE: Occasionally, depending on cheese consistency, the cheese will require extra chopping to reach proper granulation. To chop further, simply turn on the cutter-mixer for a few additional seconds. While chopping, slide open the plastic cover and observe the cheese through the inspection window. As before, turn the mixing baffle clockwise during chopping. When the cheese pieces reach the proper size, turn off the machine.
5. After chopping, turn the mixing baffle three more revolutions and stop the handle at the 4 o’clock position.
6. Grasp the mixing baffle handle in your left hand and, with your right hand, unlock the bowl latch. Open the lid slowly and, at the same time, turn the baffle handle slightly counter-clockwise. This process keeps cheese from falling onto the floor.
7. Place a cheese dumping tub between the cutter-mixer legs.
8. While holding the bowl latch with your left hand, remove the locking pin and loosen the locking handle with your right.
9. Grasping the bowl latch in your right hand and the cover knob in your left, slowly tip the bowl until the cheese almost pours from it. Then, with your right hand, tighten the locking handle. Position the tub so the cheese will fall into the center.
10. With a RUBBER SPATULA, scrape the cheese into the tub. Be careful around the sharp blades. After emptying the cutter-mixer, upright the bowl, tighten the locking handle, and insert the locking pin.
11. Carry the cheese tub to the portioning station.
12. Repeat the above chopping process for additional batches.
This step is written for packing cheese in plastic bags for shipment to other locations. For strictly on-site preparation, substitute food containers for plastic bags and crates.
1. Place a plastic bag into a tub.
2. Place the tub with bag on the electronic scale.
3. With a scoop, weigh 5 lb of cheese into the tub. Together, the cheese, bag, and tub should weigh exactly _____ lb. (Or, if there’s a tare button, zero-out the scale with the tub on it and weigh out 5 lb of cheese.)
4. Seal the bag tightly with a twist tie.
5. Pack 4 bags per crate.
6. Date the crate.
7. Stack 12 crates per dolly.
8. After you have a full dolly, push it into the walk-in refrigerator. Always place the newly chopped cheese behind the older cheese.
9. When finished, clean up following the procedures in the Clean-up section of this manual.
10. Dispose of corrugated boxes by cutting them at the corners and stacking them flat; thereby conserving space in the dumpster.
INTERIM CLEANING: If you will be using the cutter-mixer for sauce, use this short cleaning procedure instead of the full Cutter-mixer Cleaning Procedure. (For full cleaning procedure, see the Cutter-mixer section in the Mixers and Food Processing Equipment chapter.)
A) Remove the cutting shaft.
B) Tilt the bowl to pouring position.
C) With a CLEAN, DRY cloth, wipe the loose cheese from the bowl.
D) Upright the bowl, attach the cutting shaft, and use the machine for blending sauce.
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