In 2004, during a trip to Europe, Mr. Fuji and I visited Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, England, a spectacular gorge with jagged cliffs and lush greenery.  It was here that I learned about the long history of cheddar cheese, the cheese that takes its name from the region.  Cheddar has been produced in the region as far back as the early 12th century.  Icons of England explains, “Cows grazing on the Somerset pasturage provided the raw material for the cheese, which was a way of using up excess milk, and the Cheddar Caves (caves located in Cheddar Gorge)—with their constant temperature and humidity—made a perfect place in which to store and mature it.”

Despite its long history in the region, the cheese was a luxury item until the mid 1800s when cheese production was simplified by a man named Joseph Harding who improved dairy hygiene and standardized the methods used for making cheddar.  Harding is also purported to have invented the cheese mill, a machine that mad it easier to drain the curds of as much of their moisture as possible.  In the intervening years cheddar has spread in popularity around the world, and according to the most recent statistics published by the International Dairy Foods Association, cheddar ranks as the leader in supermarket sales in the United States.

I was recently contacted by Cabot Creamery, a 1,200 farm family dairy cooperative with members in New England and upstate New York, about trying their 3-year Aged Cheddar.  This cheddar is being made exclusively for Costco and was just introduced in the LA market.  It’s a white cheddar that has been aged for 3 years, giving it a stronger sharp rich flavor and crumblier texture.  In short, it’s delicious.

We’ve eaten it shredded on top of spaghetti with a meaty ragu, and on homemade pizza.  Then I had the thought that it might pair beautifully with the flavors in za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice mixture made of sumac, sesame seeds, and dried herbs), so I decided to make some Middle Eastern inspired pizzas.  I made a dough use part whole wheat and part bread flour, then formed the dough into 4 small pizzas.  I topped the pizzas with a mixture of za’atar, olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then some chopped tomatoes, and a nice dose of shredded Cabot 3 Year Cheddar.

The pizzas were fabulous.  The cheddar melted perfectly over the other toppings, and the sharp creaminess was a perfect compliment to the tangy earthy flavors from the za’atar and lemon, and the juicy tomatoes.  The chewy crust made the perfect vehicle to deliver everything into the hungry waiting mouths of my family!

Middle Eastern Inspired Cheese Pizzas

4 to 6 servings

For the pizza dough:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast (SAF instant yeast is my favorite)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup warm water

For the topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons za’atar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 large roma tomato, finely chopped
1 cup shredded aged white cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Make the pizza dough: Whisk the flours, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the oil and water and mix for one minute using the paddle attachment on your mixer. Switch to the dough hook and continue mixing for 5 minutes.

4. Prepare the topping: While the dough is mixing, mix together the olive oil, za’atar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl.

5. Divide the dough into 4 pieces (or 6 if you want to make slightly smaller pizzas). Spray a smooth clean surface with cooking spray and use your hands to form each piece of dough into a oval shaped crust that is approximately 1/2-inch thick.

6. Spread the za’atar mixture over the top of each crust. Top with tomatoes and then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of all the toppings.

7. Put the pizzas on lightly greased baking sheet (or preheated pizza stone if you have one) and bake until the pizzas are puffed and golden brown (about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the crusts). To check if the pizzas are ready, use a thin spatula to gently lift one of the pizzas up—if the bottom is a nice golden brown, the pizzas are done!