Quattro Formaggi
One of my absolute favorite types of pizza. Quattro Formaggi literally means “four Cheeses” and that’s what you get.
No additional ingredients, excepot maybe for some fresh Basil Leaves.
Many recipes abound, all with foru different types of Cheese.
If you enjoy Vegetarian pizzas with Tomato sauce then you’re in luck.
Pizza is a delicious food all around the world, but did you know that it can be quite different depending on where you go? That’s because the ingredients, cooking methods, and pizza-making traditions vary greatly from place to place. For example, in Italy, pizza is typically made with simple and high-quality ingredients such as fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, and cooked in a wood-fired oven, which gives it its characteristic soft and chewy crust.
In contrast, in America, pizza is often loaded with toppings and cooked in a gas oven, resulting in a much crispier crust. Even within the same country, you can find different regional variations. For example, in New York, you will find the classic thin-crust pizza, while in Chicago, you will find a deep-dish pizza with a thick crust.
The unique characteristics of pizza in different places make it a fascinating food to explore and try.
Pizza in Italy
A Naples invention, Pizza originated in Italy in the 1700’s, and they know how to craft the perfect pizza. Naples is the most famous location for pizza in the entire world, and you can still visit the world’s oldest pizzeria, the stunning Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba.
Take a look at some of the other pizzas from Italy here.
| Origin | Italy |
| Type | Vegetarian |
| Sauce | Tomato Sauce |
Quattro Formaggi Pizza Recipe
Below we’ve put together a recipe for you to make your own homemade Quattro Formaggi Pizza whether it be in your wood fired pizza oven or your typical kitchen oven.
| Dough | 2 hours |
| Assembly | 10 minutes |
| Baking | 12-20 minutes |
Quattro Formaggi Pizza Ingredients
Get enough of the toppings that you will need for the amount of pizzas you plan to make. The pizza sauce and dough ingredients below are designed for 3-4 pizzas, so add more or less, if required.
Simple Pizza dough
- 2 tsps (7 g sachet) dried yeast
- 1 cup (250 ml) luke-warm water
- 2 2/3 cups (400 grams) pizza flour
- Two tsps salt
- 3 tbsps (1/4 cup) virgin olive oil
Quattro Formaggi Pizza Toppings
Toppings used in this pizza recipe, are;
- Parmesan
- Gorgonzola
- Mozzarella
- Artichoke
- Oregano
Tomato Pizza Sauce
- 1 can (15oz/420g) diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6oz/170g) can of tomato paste
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 small onion
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
Want to try a different sauce? See our article on the different types of pizza sauces.
TIP
You can click on any of the tags at the bottom of this page, to find other pizzas besides Quattro Formaggi Pizza, that use that topping.
Pizza Dough Method
You can either make your own pizza dough following the simple steps below, or you can purchase a premade base at your local store.
- Whisk the lukewarm water and yeast in a plastic or glass jug. Let the mixture stand for approx. five minutes.
- Add the salt and flour in a large bowl. Create a hollow centre in the flour. Slowly pour the liquid yeast mixture and oil.
- Using your hands or a mixer, mix the dough until smooth. Pour dough on a lightly floured work surface and then knead by hand for five minutes.
- Place dough into lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Sit in a warm place for roughly 30 minutes to an hour, to rise until it doubles in size.
- Fold the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently by hand for around five minutes or until smooth.
- Divide the dough roughly into equal amounts. Roll out pizza bases for the desired size.
- Spread some flour on kitchen bench before rolling, in order to prevent sticking.
TIP: We have other dough recipes if you would like to try your hand at sourdough, poolish or more.
Tomato Pizza Sauce Method
Ditch the store-bought sauce and elevate your homemade pizza game by making your own tomato sauce with the recipe provided.
- Mix ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix well using a whisk, or blender.
- Leave sitting for five minutes.
- Your sauce is now ready. Enjoy!
- Keep sauce in fridge or freeze for future use.
For a spicy pizza sauce, mix in some chilli or sweet chilli sauce to this recipe.
Preparing Quattro Formaggi Pizza
Preheat your oven to roughly 500 degrees.
Roll out the dough to either slightly smaller than your pizza stone or tray.
Alternatively, if you have a pizza peel, roll out to be smaller than that.
You start by spreading the sauce around. This pizza calls for Tomato Sauce. Spread the Tomato Sauce evenly using the back of a large spoon or ladle.
Then start adding the largest ingredients, then work your way down. The last is any cheese topping, such as Mozzarella, which you should evenly cover the other toppings with, and then finally any herbs.
Toppings to put on this pizza are;
- Parmesan
- Gorgonzola
- Mozzarella
- Artichoke
- Oregano
I find this pizza great on its own, or why not enjoy it with a fresh salad?
Cooking time
Put the Quattro Formaggi pizza in oven, and set alarm for ten minutes.
After 10 minutes, open the door and see how cooked pizza is.
Pizza should be ready within 15 minutes. However, allow it to cook to personal taste.
About Oregano
Oregano is one of the most widely-used herbs worldwide, found in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. Oregano is an ingredient in chili powder, as well as a number of pizza and pasta sauces.
The taste of Oregano can be described as Green and earthy, with hints of mint. It can often be slightly bitter.
Pizza Tools
When making Quattro Formaggi Pizza, I always recommend that you use what you have already, and avoid spending a ton of money. My recommended basic pizza tool list is…
Dough Containers
Having quality, air tight dough storage containers is a must.
Glass Measuring Jug
A good quality, heavy glass measuring jug with clear marking for various measures to me is a must. I hate taking chances with portions, so it’s an important tool for me.
Dough Proofing Box
If you make a lot of dough through the year, you’ll find owning a pizza dough proofing box very useful.
Parmesan
Parmesan is a translation of the Italian words, Parmigiano-Reggiano. The two terms refer to the same cheese. Often referred to as the “King of Cheeses”, Parmesan is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk, which is then Aged for at least 12 months.
Parmesan was praised as far back as 1348 in the writings of famous Italian writer, Boccaccio, in his works, the Decameron. October 27 is designated the International “Parmigiano Reggiano Day” by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Pizza Trivia
Here are some interesting facts about pizza.
Hawaiian pizza isn’t from Hawaii
A retired cook, Sam Panopoulos, added pineapple to a pizza and served the iconic pizza variation at the Satellite Restaurant in Ontario, Canada.
Ah, a museum
There is a Pizza museum in Philadelphia called Pizza Brain. It contains one of the world’s largest collections of pizza themed memorabilia. Oh and you can buy and eat pizza there too.
Daily diet
In 2014, a gentleman from Maryland, Dan Janssen, gained a minor level of fame for having eaten pizza at least once every day for 25 years.
Vegetarian Pizzas
Keen on seeing more than Quattro Formaggi pizza? We have plenty of other Vegetarian pizza recipes to look at, as well. Enjoy!
Pizza making FAQ
Planning to make fantastic pizzas at home? Here are some expert answers to some of the most common pizza making questions.
Can I use pastry flour instead of 00 flour for making pizza dough?
Yes, you can, however you will find that bread flour would be a better choice. In order of preference, I would suggest 00 flour, bread flour then pastry flour. If it’s all you have, then give it a shot, and maybe search for a pizza dough recipe that calls for pastry flour.
How long can pizza sit out?
You shouldn’t leave pizza out in the open uncovered, for more than a few hours. In fact, I would put it in an air tight container within an hour, if it weren’t being eaten.
How long should I leave stretched out dough out before making pizza?
As short a time as possible. The longer you leave it, the more chance that your dough will stick to whatever surface it is on, will become moist and soggy or will start drying out. It’s best to roll out a ball of dough just prior to adding the pizza sauce and toppings.
Have you made Quattro Formaggi Pizza?
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