Mozzarella di Bufala

I don’t know about you but one of my favourite Italian, or should I say a Neapolitan speciality is a gigantic mozzarella di Bufala. This is not just any mozzarella, it is one that as soon as you cut open the milk trickles out and there are no words to describe the happiness you feel in that moment. But where does this amazing cheese come from? Well, in the twelfth century the Arabs brought over water buffalos into Sicily, which were then transported in the Campania region by the Norman Kings who set up numerous buffalo farms. In the fourteenth centuries this buffalo cheese was being sold in markets of Capua, Aversa and salernitano. It slowly started to be produced in other Campanian areas until expanding to Lazio, Puglia and Sicily.

In 1993 it was named as Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOC – (Controlled Designation of Origin) by the Ministry of Italian Agriculture.

There are a few stages to making this delicious cheese, and these include: Milk Storage of raw buffalo milk, heating up the milk, Curdling, curd maturation, spinning with the use of boiling water, shaping with help of special rotating machines, cooling by immersing the mozzarella into cold water, Picking and finally packaging.

Of course it is at it’s best simple however there are variations including smoked mozzarella di bufala, ovoline which are smaller sized and trecce – a platted shape. Mozzarella is most commonly used as pizza toppings, in salads and as starters in Italy.

Recipes

There are many delicious recipes including Mozzarella di Bufala whether it is cold in a salad or cooked. Here are a few that I adore:

Starters

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 Mozzarella di Bufala DOC
• 3 large Tomatos
• A few Basil leaves
• A tbsp. Olive Oil

Method:

1. Slice up one mozzarella
2. Slice up 3 Big Tomatos
3. Wash up some basil
4. Place in a dish alternating one slice of mozzarella with one tomato
5. Season with olive oil, a pinch of salt and the basil on top.

Involtini di melanzane alla Mediterranea

Ingredients:

• 1 large aubergine
• 1 Mozzarella di Bufala DOC
• 1 tomato passata
• 15g of olives
• a few leaves of basil
• 1 garlic
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil.
• Cocktail sticks

Method:

1. In a saucepan add some olive oil and the garlic.
2. When the garlic is browned, add the tomato passata and cook for 20 minutes at a very low heat.
3. Slice the aubergine in long slices around 1cm thick. You will need around 4 slices.
4. Pop the aubergines on a grill and grill them until they are cooked on both sides.
5. When the tomato sauce is ready, chop the mozzarella into little cubes.
6. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees.
7. Assemble the involtini so put ontop of an aubergine slice some tomato sauce, a few mozzarella cubes, sliced olives and basil.
8. Roll up the aubergine and pop in the cocktail stick to make sure that it doesn’t open up. Once you’ve made your little involtini, pop them in an oven dish with some tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil on top and place them in the oven for about 10 minutes.
9. Enjoy, these are absolutely delicious!

Carpaccio di Mozzarella

This isn’t a traditional italian dish however it is a perfect quick, light lunch option.

Ingredients:

• 1 Mozzarella di Bufala
• a large handful of olives
• 1 celery stick
• 20g pine nuts
• 5 little anchovy
• 2 tbsp of olive oil.
• Basil leaves

Method:

1. Slice your mozzarella thinly and place on a plate.
2. In a blender, blend the olives, anchovies and pine nuts. Add in some olive oil.
3. Chop up the celery stick.
4. Add the celery on the mozzarella and on top add your blended mixture.
5. Us Italians love our basil so thinly chop up some basil and sprinkle on top with a glug of olive oil

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Ingredients:

• 150g of fresh Gnocchi
• 1 Large Mozzarella di Bufala DOC
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• ½ Onion (Both red or white work)
• Tomato Paste
• Basil leaves

Method:

1. Chop up half an onion, add some olive oil to a separate saucepan and when the oil is hot enough add the onion.
2. When the onion is brown enough add the tin of chopped tomatoes and leave to simmer at a low heat for about 20 minutes.
3. In a large saucepan put some water to boil
4. Add a little bit of tomato paste to your tomato sauce, some basil leaves and a pinch of salt.
5. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and make sure you check carefully the cooking time because you do not want to over cook fresh pasta.
6. When the gnocchi are ready, take out some of the cooking water with a glass, and strain the rest.
7. Add the gnocchi into the tomato sauce pan, add the large mozzarella which you will have chopped up into squares and then to slightly melt the mozzarella add the boiling water you set aside.
8. You can add some optional Parmesan in the end.

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