Ingredients

3 pizza breads 6" diameter

1 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup onions finely chopped
2 tbsp. tomato ketchup
8-10 flakes garlic
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. red chilli crushed
1/4 tsp. omam (oregano) seeds
1/4 tsp. cinnamon clove powder
2 tbsp. cornflour
2 tbsp. butter
salt to taste

For topping:

2 onions
1 capsicum
4-5 tbsp. cooking cheese grated
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1 tbsp. tomato ketchup

Method

Slice the onions and capsicum for topping into thin round slices. Keep aside.
Heat butter. Add chopped onions. Stirfry for 2-3 minutes.
Add tomato puree, bring to a boil.
Pound together garlic, chilli powder, salt, clove-cinnamon powder.
Add all ingredients except cornflour, simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup water to make smooth paste.
Add to the boiling sauce, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Stir and cook till thick enough to spread on pizza bread.
Cool, stirring occasionally, to avoid surface from drying up.

To proceed:

Spread a ladleful of pizza sauce on the bread.

Arrange slices of onions and capsicum over the sauce.
Sprinkle coriander and cover with grated cheese.
Bake in a hot oven, for 5 minutes or till cheese melts and base becomes crisp.
Cut into triangles and serve hot.

Making time: 45 minutes

Makes: 3 pizzas
Shelflife: the sauce may be prepared and frozen to use as required.

Variations: Change the topping as per your liking using grated carrots, cabbage, olives, etc.
Cheese Blends

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.
Some Popular Blends

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.
Two-cheese Blends, or Mozzarella + One

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.
Four-cheese Blends

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.
White Pizza Blends
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.

Specialty Pizza Blends

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.

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?

Processing Methods
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.
Slicing

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.
Grinding

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.
Shredding/grating

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.
Chopping

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.
Dicing

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.
Cheese Cutters

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.
Large vs. Small Granule Size

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.

Sample Production Procedure

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.
Introduction

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.
Set-up

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.

Chopping

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.

Portioning and Storage

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