Andrew Zimmern's Pizza Cheese Swap Makes Boring Slices A Thing Of The Past

Chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern has made a career out of eating voraciously, including giant sea squirts in Chile and putrified shark in Iceland on his TV series "Bizarre Foods." But he also has a soft spot for gas station pizza and Gotham's finest lox and bagels. When it comes to pizza, his vast culinary knowledge yields all kinds of creative ideas, as Chowhound recently learned when speaking with him at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival.

If you're making pizza and either don't have mozzarella or are looking to branch out, Zimmern has a wide range of alternatives to try. His list includes brined cheese, like Pecorino Romano, the traditional sheep's milk cheese originating from Rome. "A tomato pie with just a little Pecorino Romano is great," he said. Other cheeses he suggests include feta, provolone. and even soft washed-rind cheeses, a typically pungent style, such as Taleggio from Northern Italy. "[A] lot of creamy, bloomy and washed-rind cheeses actually do really well on pizza," he said. But he does have some caveats when it comes to adding certain cheeses to your pie.

Andrew Zimmern knows his cheese — he once claimed on an episode of "Bizarre Foods" that he was "actually 12% cheese on the inside" because he ate so much — but he also knows that some cheeses can overwhelm the other flavors of a pizza. He suggests being cautious when using certain cheeses, like feta, the traditionally firm, crumby, slightly salty and tangy Greek cheese made from sheep's milk or a blend of sheep's milk and goat's milk. "You don't want to put a lot on there, but a little feta on pizza is absolutely delicious," he said.

He also stays away from some types of cheese altogether on his pies. "I'm not big on cheddars or other cheeses that give off a lot of oil," he said. Zimmern also has some cheese-related advice for pizza when using provolone, the classic Italian brined cheese. He suggests using a good aged provolone. Aging makes the cheese firmer, sharper, and nuttier. As Zimmern has demonstrated there's a wide range of cheese to try on pizza beyond mozzarella, just be a little judicious with how much you add.