Sunday 28 June 2015

The Different Kinds of Mozzarella Cheese

You can use just about any cheese as a pizza topping. From brie to goat's cheese, it's really up to you. But mozzarella cheese is just about everyone's favorite. Its subtle flavor, which is slightly salty, comes through without dominating the other pizza toppings. And the stringy, chewy consistency is all part of the appeal.

If you're not convinced that it's the best pizza cheese, try a Pizza Margherita. With only three ingredients -- tomato, basil, and mozzarella -- each has to be perfect in its own way. And you'll likely agree that the cheese is.

You may not know it, but several different kinds of mozzarella cheese are produced. If you've been using the grated kind that comes in a bag, you're in for a treat. Because there are much better varieties out there. And these days, you can usually find several different kinds right at your local grocery store.

The two main types are low-moisture and high-moisture. And you'll get really different results depending on which one you use.

High-moisture mozzarella cheese.
Also known as fresh mozzarella, the high-moisture type can either be made from cow's milk -- which is known as Fior di latte -- or from the milk of the water buffalo, which is called mozzarella di bufala. In Italy, the milk can either be pasteurized or not, although in America, it's pasteurized.

Water buffalos were brought to Italy from India back in the 16th century. The milk was not very digestible, but the cheese was creamy, sweet, and lily white. Since there aren't that many water buffalo herds, cheese made from their milk costs more than cow's milk cheese, but many believe it's worth it. It's best when it's very fresh.

A little of it goes a long way, and you don't need to cover your pizza with it. Just place a few thin slices here and there.

To make it, they heat cheese curds in hot water until they form strings. After that, they're kneaded, stretched, and formed into balls. These balls are stored in salted water, so you should drain them well before you slice them and place them on your pizza. It's available as either one 4" ball or many balls that are less than an inch in diameter.

Burrata cheese.
For something truly decadent, look for burrata cheese. It's available in some high-end or Italian grocery stores. It's been popular in Italy for years but has only caught on in the United States recently. Burrata is basically a ball of hard mozzarella with a center of heavy cream. The creamy center oozes out when you cut into it and combines with the cheese. It's fantastic and excellent with tomatoes, prosciutto, or on pizza.

Affumicata or smoked mozzarella adds a lot of flavor that's great when combined with wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, pancetta, or other savory flavors.

Next time you're going to make a pizza, try using one of these different kinds of mozzarella to create something new and different.

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