Is Mozzarella Stretching Curd Good On Pizza?

When it comes to cheeses, there are a wide variety of options available and while people usually stick to the cheeses they know, there are other options. One cheese that is gaining in popularity is mozzarella stretching curd. This curd is traditionally used to make mozzarella cheese, but people are finding more and more creative uses for it including in their everyday cooking. While most people would use the mozzarella stretching curd to make mozzarella and then use that on pizza, others are skipping the step of curing it and simply using the stretching curd itself and they tend to get great results.

Making The Curd

To better understand why mozzarella stretching curd is generally considered good on pizza, it is important to know how it is made so you can better understand what exactly it is. Put simply, the process involves taking small pieces of the curd and heating them up in hot water so that they become elastic. You can then knead the cheese by stretching it out and letting it fold back into itself. Overtime, the mozzarella stretching curd will become smooth on the surface. At this point you can cool it down by putting it into some ice water for between five and ten minutes and it is ready.

Mozzarella

After you have the mozzarella stretching curd cooled, then it will become mozzarella and this is one of the most popular choices for cheese on a pizza. That is because mozzarella was not only the first type of stretched curd cheese, but it became truly famous when the Italians started using it on both pizza and pasta dishes. Some people are surprised to learn that mozzarella most likely originated in the Middle East, not Italy although that is the country that gave it its fame.

Properties Of The Curd

Both mozzarella and the mozzarella stretching curd share several properties that make them ideal for use on pizza. Due to the stretching process, the cheeses are fairly elastic which makes them easy to spread on pizza (or on other foods). In addition, they have a nice smooth texture that allows the finished pizza itself to have a good texture as well. The most important thing about mozzarella stretching curd, however, is how it melts. Mozzarella and its stretching curd become nice and elastic when melting and will produce an even melt, which is exactly what is desired on a pizza.

Final Verdict

Although mozzarella stretching curd can be good on pizza, most people who use it to create a pizza will go through the simply, thirty minute process to turn it into mozzarella first, even if it is not aged mozzarella. This puts the cheese in a form that is familiar to work with and is incredibly easy to do. With just the curd and a few extra supplies (sometimes sold together in a kit) you can easily make your own fresh mozzarella in minutes. In fact, you could even be doing this while you wait for your pizza dough to rise so the time is not lost.