Goat's cheese
A tangy, low-stretch cheese commonly paired with sweet or peppery toppings on contemporary pizzas.
- Milk
- Goat's milk
- Moisture
- moderate
- Fat
- moderate
- Stretch
- low
- Browning
- low
- Oil release
- low
- Salt
- moderate
- Use timing
- pre bake
- Heat tolerance
- high
- Burn risk
- low
Melt behaviour
Softens and warms through without significant stretch; tangy flavour intensifies slightly with heat
Tolerates most bake temperatures well since it is not relied on for stretch, domestic ovens included
Storage and preparation
Best dolloped or crumbled rather than shredded
Common problems
- Shredding rather than crumbling it is difficult given its soft texture and gives an uneven result
- Its tang can clash with an already acidic tomato sauce — it reads better on olive-oil or no-sauce bases
Substitutions
- ricotta for a milder result
Styles using this cheese
One of the specific non-traditional cheeses this 1980s movement is historically credited with popularising on American pizza, offering a tangy, crumbly contrast to standard mozzarella.
Evidence
Generally accepted
Goat's cheese paired with sweet or peppery toppings on a non-tomato base is well-established contemporary pizza practice.
No external sources attached to this specific claim beyond editorial synthesis.