Process of making acceptable mozzarella cheese without aging

A process of making a mozzarella variety of cheese and using it to make a baked pizza, comprising the steps of:

• a) pasteurizing cow's milk having a fat content in the range of about 1.5 to 3.5 weight percent;
• b) converting the milk to a cheese milk;
• c) coagulating the cheese milk to obtain a coagulum comprised of curd and whey;
• d) cutting the coagulum and draining the whey therefrom, thereby leaving a cheese curd;
• e) heating, kneading, and stretching the cheese curd until it is a homogeneous, fibrous mass of heated, unripened mozzarella variety cheese having a moisture content in the range of about 45 to 60 weight percent and a milkfat content of at least about 30 weight percent (dried solids basis);
• f) cooling the heated cheese in cold brine;
• g) removing the cooled cheese from the brine, said steps (a) through (g) being controlled so that the cooled cheese removed from the brine has a combined moisture and wet milkfat content of at least about 70 weight percent;
• h) freezing said cheese within about 48 hours after removing it from the brine, thereby obtaining a mozzarella variety cheese that can be satisfactorily baked on a pizza without having to first be held in an unfrozen state at about 35.degree. to 45.degree. F. for approximately 7 to 21 days;
• i) comminuting said cheese either before or after said step (h);
• j) spreading tomato sauce and said comminuted cheese on a base of pizza crust, with or without other toppings;
• and
• k) baking the coated crust in an oven maintained at a temperature in the range of about 400.degree. to 1000.degree. F. until said cheese is melted.