A Tasting Guide to Campania’s Mozzarella di Bufala

Submitted by Laura Thayer on Mon, 2011-06-20 09:54

In Campania Food and Wine

The buffalo milk mozzarella cheese made in Campania is one of Italy’s most famous delicacies. Here are some tips and suggestions for enjoying the best mozzarella during your travels in Campania.

While mozzarella cheese is one of the most celebrated Italian cheeses around the world, few people have tasted the true mozzarella di bufala before arriving in the southern Italian region of Campania. Sampling freshly made mozzarella di bufala is one of the gastronomic highlights of visiting Campania.

Mozzarella di bufala is a soft, stringy, hand-formed white cheese made with raw buffalo milk. The processing time for mozzarella must happen quickly to maintain the highest concentration of the delicate flavours. To see mozzarella di bufala made is a fascinating experience. The traditional process starts with heating the milk to a temperature ranging from 33° to 36° C and adding natural calves’ rennet to coagulate the milk. After separating the curd from the whey, the curds are drained and chopped into small pieces. Hot water is then added and the curds mixed until the consistency is just right for forming the cheese.

This is when the cheese making process turns from science to art. The casaro, or cheesemaker, begins kneading the rubbery form until it becomes smooth and shiny. Working in teams of two in rhythmic motions, one person kneads and forms the larger mass as another pulls off a smaller round ball and drops it into a cold water mixture to set and cool the cheese. The name mozzarella came from the verb mozzare, meaning “to cut off,” after this very process of pulling and separating the cheese. After soaking for several hours, the mozzarella is finally ready to eat.

Mozzarella di bufala comes in several traditional shapes ranging from small bite-sized balls, called bocconcini, to large, round balls that are served sliced or chopped up to melt in pasta dishes. You can also find mozzarella braided, which is called a treccia. Regardless of the shape, a good mozzarella should have a smooth, moist surface that is elastic when gently pressed. After buying your mozzarella, keep it stored at room temperature in the liquid it comes packaged in. It is best if consumed within the first three days after production.

To find the true mozzarella di bufala, look for the label marked “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP,” which indicates the cheese was made following traditional methods and carefully established guidelines. Mozzarella with this label can only be produced in the Caserta, Salerno, Naples and Benevento provinces in the region of Campania, and the Frosinone, Latina and Roma provinces of the region of Lazio. Some of the best mozzarella is made in the small dairy farms dotting the countryside in the plains around Paestum and Caserta in Campania.

When you get your hands on a really good mozzarella di bufala, there is nothing to do but sit back, relax and savour the delicate flavours of Campania.