4 Cheese Pizza
Origin of the recipe
Four Cheese Pizza is a classic Italian pizza that originated in Naples as an alternative to a tomato-based pizza. Unlike Margherita, it doesn't contain tomato sauce, but instead relies on the rich textures and flavors of the cheeses. Mozzarella, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and Cheddar (or Dor Blue) are traditionally used, although the exact ingredients vary by region. Interesting fact: in Italy, this pizza is often called "Quattro Formaggi" and is served as a vegetarian dinner dish or as an appetizer with wine. It's easy to adapt at home—for example, by substituting one of the cheeses for a more affordable alternative.
What do you need for cooking?
Ingredients
For the dough (for one pizza):
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Flour
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Dry yeast
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Warm water
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Sugar
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Salt
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Olive oil
For the filling:
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Mozzarella cheese
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Cheddar cheese
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Parmesan cheese
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Dorblu cheese
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Basil
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Oregano
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Salt and pepper
For the sauce:
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Milk
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Flour
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Butter
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Salt
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Ground nutmeg
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Garlic
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Provencal herbs
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Parmesan cheese
Kitchen utensils
- Board
- Grater
- deep bowl
Step-by-step recipe
Step 1: 
Knead the dough: In a bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and olive oil and knead until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Step 2: 
Prepare the cheese: grate the mozzarella and cheddar on the coarse side of a grater, the Parmesan on the fine side, and the Dor Blue cheese into pieces by hand (don’t rub it—it will crumble).
Step 3: 
Roll out the dough on parchment paper with your hands to a circle with a diameter of ~30 cm, lifting the edges to form a border.
Step 4: 
Spoon pizza sauce (white, garlic and herb) evenly over the entire surface, leaving a free edge.
Step 5: 
Place a layer of mozzarella cheese, then cheddar cheese, top with parmesan cheese and pieces of dor blue cheese.
Step 6: 
Sprinkle with fresh basil, a pinch of oregano and ground black pepper.
Step 7: 
Transfer the parchment paper with the pizza to a baking sheet or stone and bake in the oven preheated to 220°C for 10–12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
Step 8: 
Remove, let cool for 2-3 minutes, slice and serve immediately to preserve the cheese's elasticity and flavor.
Cooking tips
To prevent the cheese from leaking, use cold cheese - immediately after grating, place it on the dough and straight into the oven.
Don't overload the toppings—too much cheese will make the pizza greasy and soggy; stick to the proportions in the recipe.
If you don't have Dor Blue, substitute Gorgonzola or soft blue cheese—but not feta (it's too salty and crumbly).
For a crispy crust, bake on the bottom rack of the oven for the first 5 minutes, then move it higher.
Parchment is better than an unlined baking sheet—the dough won't stick and the crust will be evenly browned.
Don't cut the pizza immediately after baking - let it "rest" for 2-3 minutes, otherwise the cheese will leak and the dough will fall apart.
