The Expert-Approved Cheese Hack For An Unforgettable Pizza

Pizza night usually consists of pies like pepperoni, sausage, or veggie — all of which contain a hearty tomato sauce that offsets the rich, gooey cheese and abundance of toppings on the meal. However, if you're not a fan of acidic tomatoes, you might want to try your hand at some white pizza recipes instead. The only catch is, what can you use as a sauce to still add flavor to your dish and give it a bit of oomph beyond the cheese and toppings on it?

Marc Forgione (@marcforgione on Instagram) is a chef and restaurateur of Respect Hospitality Group, which consists of Trattoria One Fifth (@onefifthnyc on Instagram) Peasant (@peasantnyc on Instagram), and the soon-to-reopen Forgione (@restaurant_marc_forgione on Instagram). In an exclusive interview with The Daily Meal, he stated, "I love a white pie." He also offered up a few tips for what to use when making this style of pizza, explaining that if you're not a fan of tomato-based pizza sauces, good old-fashioned cheese can work well as a substitute.

Rather than just skipping the sauce altogether, Marc Forgione says that "one suggestion is to try whipping ricotta and spreading it around the dough." Ricotta is a whey cheese that has a fluffy, soft texture and a creamy, mild flavor. It has milky, sweet notes to it, which is why it can be used in desserts like Sicilian cannoli as well as savory meals. With pizza, that versatile flavor means that it works well with just about any toppings you want to pile on your pie. Plus, it adds richness to the meal.

Of course, Forgione specifically says whipped ricotta is the way to go. To make whipped ricotta, you'll beat it in a blender, mixer, or food processor to smooth out the lumps in the cheese and make it even creamier. You can also add additional ingredients such as heavy cream or oil to help get that silky texture, as well as incorporate things like honey, crushed red chili pepper flakes, or truffle oil to infuse it with extra flavor. Those add-ins can wind up giving your pizza some extra tasting notes and can complement the toppings you end up adding to it.

Marc Forgione also says, "I also love using Boursin as a pizza sauce." If you're not familiar with Boursin cheese, this is a soft cheese that's easy to spread with a consistency similar to that of cream cheese. Boursin has a milky, light taste to it, and can come in a variety of flavors, depending on what herbs and spices it's infused with. 

For instance, you can go for basil and chive or can go for rosemary and garlic to get some pungent notes. There's also fig and balsamic if you're wanting something with a sweet tang to it. Whichever option you choose, think about what toppings you'll use on your pizza and how those flavors can complement your white sauce.

Once you've chosen which variety you're going for, Forgione gives a suggestion for how to easily add it to your pizza: "Try freezing it and then grating the frozen cheese all over the dough before and after baking." This could be easier than trying to spread the thick cheese over your dough and can help avoid accidental tears. So, next time you're in the mood for a white pizza, give one of these sauce alternatives a try for a unique, creamy flavor.