Substituting Asiago for Gruyère in a Pizza Recipe?

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  • #17083
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      My stepdaughter forgot to tell us before she came that she is now following a mostly vegetarian diet, although she does eat fish. I've been able to work off of recipes already in my repertoire, but for her final night with us, I want to try a recipe Deb Perelman posted at Smitten Kitchen for Summer Squash Pizza:

      I'm planning to use my own sourdough crust. I don't have gruyere cheese, but I do have an unopened package of asiago. Would that substitution work reasonably well? I might reduce the amount of cheese. I also am toying with adding mushrooms and perhaps some grated Parmesan. I may also use Penzey's Tuscan Sunset (salt-free) or their Frozen Pizza Sprinkle (it was a free sample) to give it some flavor.

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      • This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by BakerAunt.
      #17088
      Italiancook
      Participant

        BakerAunt, I have no idea, but I imagine a baker at KAF Baker's Hotline could offer a good guess.

        #17089
        Mike Nolan
        Keymaster

          I always think of Swiss as a less pricey Gruyere, though most Swiss sold in America has little resemblance to the stuff made in Switzerland and usually sold as Emmental here. I think Asiago is a bit stronger than Gruyere, but I like it. If you have Jarlsberg on hand, it would probably work well, too.

          When we make pizza on flatbread, we like a combination of Mozzarella and Havarti.

          My go-to cheese for cooking is often a four-cheese blend that we get at Sams, it has Parmesan, Asiago, Provolone and Romano.

          #17098
          BakerAunt
          Participant

            Thanks, Mike. All I have in the house is low-fat mozzarella (in the freezer--thanks for that tip!) and 2% cheddar, which I had to buy grated (with the usual additive), as no one around here carries 2% cheese. The comments on the recipe suggest that mozzarella, in combination with the zucchini, is too bland. I have the asiago because I bought it for a bread recipe that I'd made twice and was going to bake again--and then I had to reduce saturated fat in my diet, so it has been sitting in the refrigerator, unopened. With a third person here, it's a chance to get help eating it.

            I have only a little less than 1 1/4 pounds of the zucchini, so I'll use4 oz. of the asiago and some Parmesan. I've decided to try sliced tomato (drained on paper towels) and sliced mushrooms on top of the zucchini. I'll probably use that "frozen pizza" seasoning and perhaps a bit of garlic powder.

            #17101
            chocomouse
            Participant

              I often use asiago in place of parmesan, as it has a really nice flavor. But I love Gruyere for a good melting cheese. I've sometimes substituted it with Jarlsberg - I like prefer that over Gruyere only for the price!

              #17104
              BakerAunt
              Participant

                The pizza turned out very well. I used my usual sourdough crust, and I only used about 1 1/2 pounds of grated zucchini. After I let it drain, I wrapped it in a linen towel (a green one) and soaked out as much of the rest of the water as I could. I brushed the pizza crust with olive oil, then distributed the zucchini. I put some sliced tomatoes on top (I let the slices sit on paper towels prior to using them to remove excess moisture). I sprinkled heavily with the Penzey's Frozen Pizza topping, since it does not seem to me to have that much flavor. I added sliced mushrooms, then 4 oz. grated asiago, then shredded Parmesan on top. I added freshly ground black pepper, then into a 425F oven for 20 minutes. I baked it in a half-sheet pan. My husband and stepdaughter both loved it. I'll make this variation again when I am blessed with zucchini.

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