Four Cheese White Pizza (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 1 ball pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
02 - ½ cup fontina cheese, grated
03 - 4-5 slices fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
04 - ½ cup asiago cheese or fontinella, grated
05 - ½ cup ricotta cheese
06 - Fresh basil leaves
07 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
08 - Kosher salt, to taste
09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Romano cheese, for sprinkling
11 - Cornmeal, for dusting
12 - Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - Start by placing your pizza stone in the oven and preheating to 500°F. Allow the stone to heat for at least 20 minutes - this high temperature and thoroughly heated stone are crucial for achieving that perfect crispy yet chewy crust. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use an inverted baking sheet, though the results won't be quite the same.
02 - While the oven is heating, prepare your pizza peel (or a rimless baking sheet if you don't have a peel) by generously sprinkling it with cornmeal. This acts like tiny ball bearings, allowing your pizza to slide easily onto the hot stone. Be more generous than you think you need to be - it's much easier to brush off excess cornmeal than to unstick a pizza dough that's fused to your peel!
03 - Take your ball of pizza dough and begin shaping it into a round. Use your fingertips to press outward in a circular motion, starting from the center and working your way out. Avoid pressing on the very edge to maintain a nice puffy crust. Continue this pressing and stretching until you've formed a circle approximately 13 inches in diameter. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for a few minutes before trying again.
04 - Carefully transfer your shaped dough onto the cornmeal-dusted pizza peel. Working quickly (to prevent the dough from sticking), start layering on your cheeses. Begin with the grated fontina and asiago (or fontinella), distributing them evenly across the surface. Next, tear the fresh mozzarella into pieces and scatter them around. Finally, add small dollops of ricotta throughout the pizza - don't spread it, as these little pockets of creamy cheese create delightful bursts of flavor when you bite into them.
05 - Drizzle the topped pizza with a generous swirl of extra virgin olive oil - this adds flavor and helps the cheese brown beautifully. Sprinkle with kosher salt (remember that the cheeses already provide saltiness), a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, and a light dusting of Romano cheese. If you enjoy some heat, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
06 - With a quick, firm motion, slide your pizza from the peel onto the preheated stone in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and spotting with charred areas. If you want a more pronounced char on top, switch to the broiler for the final minute, but watch it closely to prevent burning. The pizza is done when the bottom crust is crisp and the edge has puffed up with some darker spots.
07 - Once baked, carefully remove the pizza from the oven using the pizza peel. Immediately scatter fresh basil leaves over the top - the residual heat will release their aromatic oils without completely wilting them. Allow the pizza to cool for just a minute or two before slicing and serving, giving the cheese a moment to set so it doesn't all slide off with the first cut.

# Notes:

01 - This classic quattro formaggi (four cheese) pizza balances the creamy richness of fresh mozzarella and ricotta with the sharpness of fontina and asiago for a luxurious flavor experience.
02 - For homemade dough alternatives, consider trying a Sicilian-style dough for a thicker, bakery-style crust or a Neapolitan dough for a thin center with puffy, airy edges.
03 - The high baking temperature is key to achieving an authentic pizzeria-quality crust - don't be tempted to lower it!

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