Traditionally, Italians put cheese on their pizza before cooking it. In authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, the cheese is one of the first toppings added to the pizza dough, followed by other ingredients like tomato sauce, fresh basil, and any other toppings of choice. The classic cheese used on Neapolitan pizza is fresh mozzarella, which melts beautifully and adds a creamy and slightly chewy texture to the pizza.
Once the pizza is assembled, it is then cooked in a wood-fired oven at a very high temperature (around 800-900°F or 430-480°C). The quick cooking time, typically lasting around 60-90 seconds, results in a beautifully blistered crust and perfectly melted cheese.
In some American-style pizzas or pizzas made outside of Italy, cheese may be added both before and after cooking. For instance, shredded cheese is often added on top of the other toppings before baking to create a bubbly, golden-brown layer of cheese on the pizza. This style is not considered traditional Italian pizza but is popular in other parts of the world.