I formaggi ( the Cheeses)

Formaggi sauce is a cheese-based sauce, typically served on pasta. As the name implies, it has its origins in Italian cuisine, although other cultures have variants on the sauce as well.

They use them in their cuisine, but mostly eat them on their own, just with some bread or accompanied by fruit (pears, grapes), by compotes (figs), or kinds of honey. All aged cheeses go very well with wine. Often, cheese is a course on its own (served at the end of the meal, before fruit or dessert).

Why do people like I formaggi ( the Cheeses)

Some formaggi are soft (morbidi) and sweet (dolci) while others tend to be hard (duri) and salty (salati). Although many form the principal ingredient in Italian dishes, an equal number can be enjoyed on their own as a small side dish.

Formaggio di Fossa (Pit’s chesse in italian) is a cheese from Sogliano al Rubicone in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The cheese’s name, which literally means “cheese of the pit”, is derived from the process of ripening the cheese in special pits dug in tuff rock.

Gary’s - top Italian restaurant in Singapore

Looking for a top Italian restaurant in Singapore for a memorable dining experience? Visit Gary’s and be seduced by the exquisite menu our award-winning chef has conjured up for a multisensory culinary sensation you won’t forget.

Ingredients that go into I formaggi ( the Cheeses)

6 oz (175 g) plain white soft flour
1 level teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon easy-blend dried yeast
½ level teaspoon golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 level tablespoons polenta (cornmeal) to roll out, plus a little extra

How to cook I formaggi ( the Cheeses)

Begin by warming the flour slightly in the oven for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven off.

Sift the flour, salt, yeast and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the olive oil and pour in 4 fl oz (120 ml) hand-hot water. Now mix to a dough, starting off with a wooden spoon and using your hands in the final stages of mixing. Wipe the bowl clean with the dough, adding a spot more water if there are any dry bits left, and transfer it to a flat work surface (there shouldn’t be any need to flour this). Knead the dough for 3 minutes or until it develops a sheen and blisters under the surface (it should also be springy and elastic).

You can now either leave the dough on the surface covered by the upturned bowl or transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover it with clingfilm that has been lightly oiled on the side that is facing the dough. Leave it until it looks as though it has doubled in bulk, which will be about an hour at room temperature. Having made the dough and left it to rise, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 8, 450°F (230°C), along with the pizza stone or baking sheet.

The next stage is to tip the dough back on to a work surface that has been sprinkled generously with polenta to prevent it from sticking. Knock all the air out of the dough and knead it for a couple of seconds to begin shaping it into a ball. Then dust your rolling pin with polenta and roll the dough out to a circle that is approximately 10 inches (25.5 cm) in diameter. Then finish stretching it out with your hands, working from the centre and using the flat of your fingers to push the dough out; it doesn’t need to be a perfect round, but you want it to be a fairly thin-based pizza, with slightly raised edges.

Then, using a thick oven glove, very carefully lift the baking sheet or pizza stone out of the oven and sprinkle it with a little polenta (cornmeal). Now carefully lift the pizza dough on to the stone or baking sheet and quickly arrange teaspoonfuls of ricotta here and there all over. After that, scatter the Mozzarella and Gorgonzola pieces in between and, finally, scatter the Parmesan over.

Bake the whole thing on a high shelf for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. You can lift the edge up slightly to check that the underneath is crisp and brown. Carefully remove the baking sheet or pizza stone from the oven, again using a thick oven glove, and serve the pizza on hot plates straight away.

Romantic dining experience at Gary’s

Enjoy a romantic dinner in Singapore with that special someone at Gary’s, embraced by the old-school charm of our black and white colonial bungalow and tranquil, lush greenery. Feel the love in the air as you dine away. Make a reservation today.

What can I formaggi ( the Cheeses) be served together with

Cheese is considered very highly in Italy. Italians are very proud of and take their cheeses very seriously. They use them in their cuisine, but mostly eat them on their own, just with some bread or accompanied by fruit (pears, grapes), by compotes (figs), or kinds of honey. All aged cheeses go very well with wine. Often, cheese is a course on its own (served at the end of the meal, before fruit or dessert). Eating Italian cheese is a true multi-sensorial experience, from the look, to the aroma, to the deeply multi-faced flavor.

Other popular Italian food

Besides I formaggi, there are other Italian food dishes that are highly popular in Singapore and around the world. Below is a list of some of the most mentioned ones:

Experience Italian fine dining at Gary’s

Rated as one of the best places for Italian fine dining in Singapore, Gary’s is an experience you don’t want to miss. Whether for a special occasion, a romantic dinner date, or a business get-together, come to Gary’s and be delighted. Make a reservation today.