Five Cheese Recipe

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.

Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then stir in dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and sugar (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes to concentrate flavors and slightly thicken the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove from heat and let cool to warm (not piping hot) before assembling pizza so the cheeses do not over-release moisture.

While the sauce simmers, combine shredded mozzarella, provolone, and fontina in a bowl. Stir in grated parmesan and drained ricotta until evenly blended. The mixture should be cohesive but not soupy; if ricotta is very wet, drain further in a fine sieve or cheesecloth.

Taste a small pinch of the blend and add a pinch of salt or a grind of black pepper if needed.

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating. If using a baking sheet, preheat the sheet or leave it at room temperature.

Lightly dust a pizza peel or work surface with cornmeal or semolina. Stretch or roll your pizza dough into a 12-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.

Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel or an inverted baking sheet. Brush the dough very lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil around the outer edge to encourage browning.

Spread 3/4 cup (about) of the warm-but-not-hot tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the rim bare. Using too-hot sauce can make the dough soggy.

Scatter about 1 cup of the five-cheese blend evenly over the sauced surface, leaving space for the fresh mozzarella slices.

Arrange the sliced fresh mozzarella (4 oz) evenly across the pizza so you get pockets of gooey fresh cheese once baked.

If desired, tuck a few basil leaves under cheese pockets for aroma (reserve additional leaves for finishing).

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once halfway, until the crust is golden and charred in spots and the cheeses are bubbling and starting to brown.

Remove the pizza from the oven. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil and scatter remaining fresh basil leaves on top.

Slice into 6–8 pieces and serve immediately.