Pizza Today - May 2020 - 37

he perfect pizza crust
results from flour,
water, yeast and time.
There is a science to it.
The key to why
pizza tastes so good also lies in science. Topping a pizza, more science.
It's the melding of the five basic
tastes - sweet, sour, salty, bitter and
savory (or umami).
In layman's terms, the taste
receptors in one's mouth are able
to distinguish between the tastes
and perceive them in different ways.
They send alerts and stimulate brain
neurons.
If you want to see the balance of
the five tastes on pizza in action,
look no further than the International Pizza Challenge. Pizza makers spend several months perfecting
the pizza topping combinations.
We've seen such interesting combinations as:
* spicy garlic sauce, red onions,
white cheddar crown, Portobello
mushrooms, prime aged fillet mignon, red peppers, scallions and
finished with a balsamic glaze
* apple, bacon crumbles, peanut
butter and jalapeño
* figs, bacon, caramelized onion,
arugula, goat cheese, shredded mozzarella and balsamic glaze
* mozzarella/provolone blend,
Italian sausage, cup and char
pepperoni, creamy ricotta, shaved
Manchego and oregano.
In Tony Gemignani's Trending "The Missing Ingredient", he
narrowed the tastes down to four:
sweet, salty, savory and acidic. He
wants every pizza to have at least
three of the four profiles.
He's not alone in the various
interpretations. A few years ago,
some scientists from Purdue University even introduced a sixth taste:
fat (also called oleogustus). There

036_PIZ_0520_IKtaste.indd 37

has also been a contingency that
wants spicy added to the list. Capsaicin in spicy ingredients causes a
burning sensation. While many love
the "flavor", spicy does fit the criteria to be a basic taste. However, the
five other tastes are well defined and
point to why pizza tastes so good.
Think of the five tastes as the
pillars for flavors in recipe development. Each has a role to play to create the ultimate pizza combination.
They are there to stand out from,
complement or counterbalancing
each other. Let's break down each
taste:
* Sweet. Sweetness plays a powerful role on pizza. Red sauced pies
automatically have an element of
sweet from the tomatoes, which also
happen to fit into salty and Umami,
as well. Sweetness can be used to
bring out the flavor in ingredients
or calm spicy toppings. Usual
suspects include sweets like fruit,
sugar, honey, maple syrup and agave
nectar. There are other ingredients
you may not classify as sweet. But
they are, like caramelized onions,
sweet potatoes, squash, basil and
balsamic vinegar.
* Sour. Looking for that punch
of flavor. That's where sour comes in.
It can counterbalance sweetness or
heat. When it comes to sour, think
most vinegars, citrus and tart fruits,
pickled vegetables and cultured
dairy products.
* Salty. Saltiness is very important to pizza perfection. It enhances
everything else. It also counterbalances bitterness. Cured meats,
anchovies, olives and most cheeses
fall into the salty category.
* Bitter. This is one that may not
resonate at first glance. Although
it is used to send a warning that
something has surpassed its expiration or is toxic, a "good" bitterness

can cut the sweetness or richness.
Some common bitter ingredients
include parsley, kale, arugula, escarole, radicchio and Brussels sprouts,
* Savory (Umami). This is the
taste that completes the profile with
that perfect savory component. This
is the newest of the tastes. Umami
was identified by scientists in 1908.
Mushrooms, tomato sauce and most
cheeses, especially Parmesan, hit the
umami notes.
Mix and Match
Creating the perfect pizza topping combination is a game of
mixing and matching flavors. You
take the component of each taste to
find the right balance. Toppings are
endless. Many pizzerias offer 40 or
more options. You know you have a
perfect pizza from taste. Instead of
listing ingredients, balance that next
specialty pie using the five tastes.
What if a combination is...
* Too bland? Explore ingredients
that are sweet, salty or savory.
* Too salty? Hit it with a sweet
topping.
* Too sweet? Finish it with a bitter green or a sour ingredient.
* Too tangy? Sweeten it up or add
an umami element.
* Overpoweringly savory? Add
sweet, sour or bitter ingredients.
Mushroom Umami Pizza
Mushrooms hit high marks on umami.
Label this pizza a savory, comfort food.
1 9- to 12-ounce dough ball
3 ounces of béchamel sauce
5 ounces sliced fresh mushroom,
sautéed in garlic oil
3 ounces bacon sliced in thin strips
3 ounces leeks
6 ounces shredded mozzarella
Balsamic reduction
Stretch and shape dough into a

4/6/20 9:20 AM

Pizza Today - May 2020

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