Toppings, Gratins When a thin layer of
cheese is heated in the oven or under a broiler
— on a gratin, a pizza, or bruschetta — the
intense heat can quickly dehydrate the casein
fabric, toughen it, and cause its fat to separate.
To avoid this, watch the dish carefully and
remove it as soon as the cheese melts. On the
other hand, browned, crisp cheese is quite
delicious: the religieuse at the bottom of the
fondue pot crowns the meal. If you want a
cheese topping to brown, then pick a robust
cheese that resists fat loss and stringiness. The
grating cheeses are especially versatile;
Parmesan can be formed into a thin disk and
melted and lightly browned in a frying pan or
the oven, then molded into cups or other
shapes.
Process and Low-Fat Cheeses
Process cheese is an industrial version of
cheese that makes use of surplus, scrap, and