Celebrate Pizza Day by making a tasty four-cheese recipe | Press

Learn the history of this very special food that’s part of Brazilians’ everyday life.

July 2018 – Mozzarella, calabrese sausage, zucchini, Portuguese… There are endless flavor options for anyone who appreciates a great pizza. Its presence in the gastronomic world is so noteworthy that since 1985, July 10 has been celebrated as Pizza Day.

The first famous combination of dough, cheese, and tomato sauce appeared in 1889, during Queen Margherita’s visit to the Italian city of Naples. On that occasion, Raffaele Esposito delighted the kingdom by preparing a tasty pizza with the colors of the Italian flag, using cheese (white), basil (green), and tomato sauce (red). In Brazil, pizza arrived with the first immigrants from the European country in the 19th century. Initially consumed only by the Italian community, the dish became popular in the 1950s and, with that, gained regional adaptations, becoming one of Brazilians’ most beloved foods.

Today, pizza has taken on new shapes—like cone pizza, heart-shaped pizza, or even square versions. Toppings range from traditional to vegetarian and sweet options.

What not everyone knows is that pizza is rich in umami—the fifth basic taste of the human palate—since most versions include tomato sauce and cheeses, ingredients with a high glutamate content, the amino acid that confers this fifth taste. And to celebrate Pizza Day in style, the Umami Committee has selected a special four-cheese pizza recipe. After all, everything ends in pizza!

FOUR-CHEESE PIZZA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cake (block) of fresh yeast (15 g)
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 1 cup lukewarm milk (200 ml)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ tablespoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (450 g)
• ½ cup tomato purée (100 g)

TOPPING

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella (200 g)
• ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola (60 g)
• 1 piping bag (tube) of culinary requeijão/cream cheese (250 g)
• 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (80 g)

METHOD

1. In a bowl, add the yeast and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the water, milk, oil, and salt, and mix well.
2. Gradually add the flour and knead until you have a smooth, homogeneous dough.
3. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Roll the dough into two 30 cm (12 in) rounds, spread half the tomato purée on each, and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180 °C / 350 °F) for 10 minutes.
5. Divide the cheeses between the two rounds and return to the hot oven for another 10 minutes, or until the mozzarella melts.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Tip: if you prefer, substitute provolone for the gorgonzola.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow facebook.com/ogostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.