Cookbook:Mozzarella Cheese
| Mozzarella Cheese | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Cheeses |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Cheese
Mozzarella cheese is a mild, soft, unaged cheese.[1]
Production
[edit | edit source]Key to mozzarella production is the pasta filata or stretched-curd method.[2] Here, the cheese curds are heated in whey or water to soften them before kneading and stretching;[2][3][4][5][6] this action aligns the cheese proteins into strands and gives a characteristic stringy texture.[5][7] After this "stringing", the plastic cheese is shaped and allowed to cool.[6]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]Traditional mozzarella is made from water buffalo milk,[4][6] but it is now common to use whole or skim cow's milk.[4][2][6][8][9] All mozzarella has the stringy texture that results from the pulling during its production.[9][1] However, within the broader category, there exist variations.
Modern mozzarella can largely be divided into two types: fresh and low-moisture.[1] The former, sometimes called "Italian-style", is a soft, moist, fresh cheese with a mild and delicate flavor.[2][5] It often takes comes in spheres of varying sizes, which may come packed in water or oil,[1][2] and it can even take the form of knots or braids.[1] Fresh mozzarella may be filled with a creamy mixture, at which point it is called burrata.[1][6]
Low-moisture mozzarella, on the other hand, which may go by the names of string cheese or pizza cheese,[6] is slightly more aged and dried.[1] It tends to use skim milk as its base, has a denser, drier texture, and melts particularly well.[1][6][10] More amenable to shredding than fresh styles, low-moisture mozzarella may be sold pre-shredded and bagged at markets.[1]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]As a fresh cheese, mozzarella should be stored in the fridge. Fresh mozzarella has a particularly short shelf life, while low-moisture varieties will keep more longer.[1][10]
Use
[edit | edit source]Fresh mozzarella is often eaten plain or as a component in uncooked preparations such as salads (e.g. caprese).[1][6][8] It may also feature in traditional Neapolitan pizza.[1] Low-moisture mozzarella is often heated to make use of its good melting properties and stretchy pull.[1] This makes it the most common variety for American-style pizzas.[1]
Substitution
[edit | edit source]Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "A Comprehensive Guide to Mozzarella Cheese Types". Allrecipes. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
- ↑ a b c d e Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.
- ↑ Chesman, Andrea (2015-09-19). The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills. Storey Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-61212-205-2.
- ↑ a b c Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
- ↑ a b c Wolke, Robert L. (2011-01-12). What Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-07982-1.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Labensky, Sarah R.; Hause, Alan M.; Martel, Priscilla (2018-01-18). On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-444190-0.
- ↑ Farrimond, Stuart (2017-09-19). The Science of Cooking: Every question answered to perfect your cooking. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-4654-7079-9.
- ↑ a b The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2011-09-13). The Professional Chef. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2.
- ↑ a b Gisslen, Wayne (2014-04-15). Professional Cooking. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-118-63672-5.
- ↑ a b The Chefs of Le Cordon Bleu (2011-12-02). Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie and Baking Foundations. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1-4390-5713-1.