Four Cheese Pizza
We make our four cheese pizza bianca, without tomato, so every cheese comes through clearly: stretchy mozzarella, salty and gently funky gorgonzola, creamy pools of fontina and parmesan browning on top. A dough with just a pinch of yeast rises slowly over a few hours and bakes up light. A generous grind of black pepper at the end is not optional.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Rest
- 5 h
- Total
- 5 h 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 610 kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
For the topping
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What to use instead
Swap the fontina for scamorza, emmental or any good melting semi-hard cheese.
Makes: 2 pizzas (30 cm), 4 portions
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
Oven
275 °C · top and bottom heat, no fan
With a fan: 255 °C
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Step 1: Mix the dough
Combine the flour and yeast, pour in the water and stir. After 10 minutes, add the salt and knead for 10 minutes into a smooth, springy dough.
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Step 2: Bulk rise
Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.
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Step 3: Shape the balls
Divide the dough in two, shape into tight balls and set them on a floured tray. Cover and leave for another 3 hours, until puffy and soft.
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Step 4: Heat the oven
An hour before baking, put a pizza stone or upturned heavy baking sheet in the upper third of the oven and heat to its maximum, 250–275 °C (480–525 °F).
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Step 5: Stretch the base
Press a ball out with your fingertips, leaving a 1.5 cm rim, then stretch it over your knuckles to 30 cm. Move it onto a floured peel or parchment and brush thinly with oil.
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Step 6: Add the cheeses
Scatter over half the mozzarella and fontina, tuck pieces of gorgonzola in between and finish with parmesan. Spread the cheese evenly but not as a solid blanket; a little dough should show between the pieces.
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Step 7: Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheeses have melted and browned in spots and the rim is golden. Repeat with the second pizza.
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Step 8: Serve
Grind plenty of black pepper over the hot pizza and slice. Serve at once; as the cheese cools, it loses its silkiness.
Tips & variations
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Variation
Drizzle the baked pizza with honey and scatter over chopped walnuts, a classic match for gorgonzola.
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Swap
Swap the fontina for scamorza, emmental or any good melting semi-hard cheese.
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Tip
Always pat fresh mozzarella dry. Excess water from the cheese leaves the middle of the pizza soggy.
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Storage
Once shaped, the dough balls keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours; take them out 2 hours before baking.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 610 kcal | 2,440 kcal |
| Protein | 29 g | 116 g |
| Fat | 27 g | 108 g |
| Carbohydrates | 57 g | 228 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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