Quattro Formaggi

Four cheeses sounds like an invitation to overdo it, but the best quattro formaggi is about balance: a melting cheese, a blue for punch, something nutty, and a hard cheese to finish. Restraint is the whole recipe.

Ingredients (per pizza)

• 1 sourdough base
• 70g mozzarella — the melt
• 30g gorgonzola, dotted — the punch
• 30g fontina or another good melting cheese — the body
• A handful of grated parmesan — the finish
• Optional: a thin layer of tomato sauce, or leave it white (bianca)

Method

1. Decide red or white. A white base lets the cheeses sing; a thin layer of sauce adds brightness.
2. Scatter the mozzarella and fontina, then dot the gorgonzola so it's spread out — a little goes a long way.
3. Bake at 250°C+ until molten and charred, 6–8 minutes.
4. Finish with the grated parmesan and, if you like, a crack of black pepper or a drizzle of honey.

Keep the total cheese sensible — around 130–140g. Four cheeses piled high just goes greasy; four cheeses in balance is a thing of beauty.