Talk to me about pizza toppings please

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Our new oven has a 'Pizza setting' and makes pretty nice pizzas, using a bought base dough. However, the mozzarella goes very runny.

Is there a specific mozzarella I should be buying? I usually just get Sainsbo's own, but it makes a real mess.

Also, can you please tell me your favourite veggie toppings that don't use mozzarella and don't have a tomato base?

I usually use pesto or red pepper pesto, rather than a tomato sauce.

I'd be especially interested in ideas for a blue cheese pizza, maybe with walnuts? Any other delicious ideas? I'm not fussy about cheese, so feel free to tell me use Parmesan etc, although I do usually buy veggie-friendly ones.

Thank you!

Do you get the pre-grated cheese? If you get the ball of mozzarella, it contains a lot of moisture and so has to be drained before use or it will release a lot of liquid during cooking and give you a soggy pizza. The pre-grated one has potato starch added which makes it a bit drier and it browns better.
Last weekend we used Reblochon with Mortadella ham – delicious. Blue cheese and pear is another great combination.

Get pre grated or solid mozarella too much water in it or, get a regular ball and squeeze as much moisture out as you can.

This pizza topping is amazing! We swapped the balsamic glaze for honey though. You also don’t need the Parmesan in the sauce, we found it a bit much.

realfood.tesco.com/recipes/pear-prosciutto-and-gorgonzola-pizza.html

Own bases are easy too and much more enjoyable. We use this recipe for the bases

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pizza-margherita-4-easy-steps

another vote for grated mozzarella, it also freezes so you can keep a stash. I also like bits (blobs) of garlic boursin on pizza or mascarponr if you like a really creamy hit. Best pizza I ever ate ever wasn't really pizza. It was a bare pizza dough base (NOT thin and crispy or too thick) cooked and then while just warm scattered generously with smoked salmon pieces, mascarpone cheese, halved cherry tomatoes and rocket and then a drizzle of olive oil added.

I like a simple pizza - bit of chilli, olive oil and black pepper!

So jealous- I'd live a pizza oven!

It's got to be a block of mozzarella rather than a ball.

Use half grated and Half Mozz Balls, Don't put too much sauce or toppings as the base will be a sloppy mess. Mushrooms are the worst for liquid leakage. We live makingbpizzas with the kids. Try next to make your own dough, that's when it gets really exciting

We buy block mozzarella in Sainsburys, the balls are too wet and we don't like the brown crispy effect you get with grated. A little bit or parmesan added for flavour. My favourite blue cheese for pizza is gorgonzola. I also love capers on pizza.

I did one last week where I just baked a pizza base with green pesto on it then added slices of avocado and tomato before serving, it was delicious.

Thanks all. I haven't been able to find block mozzarella for a long time. Will try the grated.

I know it's easy to make your own dough and have done so, but mostly I don't want to as we tend to do pizza when we want a lazy tea.

I don't eat meat or fish, so need ideas without those, please. Pear and Gorgonzola sounds great.

Yes, re mushrooms. Have wised up about those and cook them separately first if we want mushrooms.

The best pizza I've ever had was one with honey on, so I definitely will try blue cheese and honey.

We haven't got a pizza oven; just an oven with a pizza setting (I assume this just means very hot!).

My dc still talk of the pizza they had at a beach cafe in Italy - it had sausage and chips on! No cheese

Caramelised onion and feta is delicious (but I take almost any opportunity for carmelised onion and feta).

Have you tried white sauce instead of tomato sauce. Now that's lush!

And yes to block mozzarella. Usually sold in sainsbos.

I can't comment on the mozzarella as we usually use margarita bases with tomato and mozzarella already added. But.... I know this is controversial .... , we always add some grated cheddar. I'm from South Africa and grated yellow cheddar-style cheese is standard and every single person who has eaten pizza at my house has been converted....

Roasted/chargrilled veg with pesto and feta cheese is a favourite over here. If you are happy with garlic, add chopped garlic (I'm planning to make some confit garlic as soon as I can grab the clean, washed jam jar from the dishwasher before bloody DH throws them away, which will be for use on pizzas a LOT!). Or just drizzle garlic oil. I like griddled aubergine and courgette with feta (and garlic). Or go slightly sweeter (use more garlic) and do roasted tomatoes and peppers with feta.

Caramelised onion with goats cheese.

One tomato free one I do is to make a base using a ciabatta bread mix (I think you add extra oil or something to make it more pizza base-like - but I think you could use just a normal plain base). For the topping, first saute thinly sliced red onion until soft, add garlic and spinach/kale/cavalo nero until wilted. Dot ricotta, taleggio and your greens around your pizza. Rich, but delicious.

Yum. Love feta on pizza. This would be good with pesto base too.

I'm always happy with garlic!

I've had white pizzas in restaurants but not made my own. How do they do the white sauce? Is it like cheese sauce?

Garlic mushrooms and spinach is good

I think it's just a very very thick béchamel. I imagine you could choose to add whatever cheese you like - taleggio would be good. Or you could use something like marscapone in the white sauce?

Goats cheese, caramelised red onion, olives and a handful of rocket is popular in our house (with Parma ham for the meat eaters).

I usually blitz a tin of drained black olives with a couple of garlic cloves and a few rosemary leaves if I want a non tomato base. Top with feta and red onion rings and sprinkle over rocket to serve.

Parma ham with dolce latte cheese and balsamic reduction. Put balsamic reduction on any pizza and it's amazing.

@londonmummy1966 That sounds good.

I'll do some reading about white sauces. Needs to not be too runny.

Beetroot, blue cheese and cherry tomatoes. Yum. I usually use dolcelatte. Might be too many flavours with a pesto base though.

@DuneFan I don't like tomatoes on pizza but beetroot sounds nice. Do you cook it from raw or buy the vacuum pack stuff?