Your recipe calls for Buffalo Mozzarella but you really don’t know what that means. Is it really from buffalo? Is it a type of mozzarella cheese?
Buffalo mozzarella or Mozzarella di Bufala in Italian is acheese made from the milk of the domestic water buffalo. These cheeses from buffalo milk are higher in calcium and protein and lower in cholesterol than cow’s milk. Mozzarella di Bufala is manufactured under strict regulations.
Where is it made? In Italy, areas range from Rome in Lazio to Paestum, Campania and a production area near Foggia, Puglia.
What is the difference? Buffalo mozzarella coming from the Campania region bears the “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana” trademark and DOC status granted in 1993. In 2008, the European Union granted Mozzarella di Bufala Campana a Protected Geographical Status.
Apart from Italy, it is also produced in many countries.
What is it like? This is a fresh, soft, semi-elastic textured cheese belonging to the pasta filata family. The process of making pasta filata cheese includes heating the curd to a point where it can be stretched and formed into various shapes. This gives the snowy white mozzarella a mild yet slightly sour taste. The texture is soft, moist and somewhat granular. It is coated with a thin edible rind and brined for up to a week when sold in vacuum-sealed packages.
Do you know when you should use buffalo mozzarella? The cheese goes well in antipasti dishes, with salads, pastas, calzones, vegetables, and various side dishes. It is often used in lasagna. When used in cooking, heated mozzarella becomes slightly creamy.
Want to know what wine it goes with? This cheese pairs with Beaujolais, Sauvignon Blanc and White.
Where can you find it? Most grocery stores or specialty markets will carry it.
Try our pizza dough recipe and top with buffalo mozzarella and let us know how you like it.