Sorry I’ve been out of touch folks! Spent some time in Italia! I was in Puglia folks! I also went to Naples! I saw my cousins and a lot of their kids! So cute!
Today let’s talk Mozzarella! There are many, many types and made all across the world but the best comes from the regions of Puglia & Campania. Puglia is the heel of the boot from the spur (Gargano coast) all the way down 2 the tip of the heel which is Santa Maria De Leuca in Salento. Puglia is famous for many things in Italy and mozzarella is a big one. Burrata, Stracciatella, and Fior di Latte are the main types. Burrata is a mozzarella nicknamed “beggars purse.” It has Fior di Latte mozzarella outside and a cream fortified stringy mozzarella center known as “Stracciatella.” Stracciatella is also sold on it’s own in Puglia and we feature it in our restaurants with ripe beefsteak tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. In Puglia, Fior di Latte is made in many shapes and sizes. The milk in Puglia is supernatural for mozzarella. As if God created it specifically for it.
Every morning in Puglia I go out very early to the local cheese shop and grab the still warm, freshly made Fior di Latte mozzarella. It’s spectacular. I love to leave it out on the counter all day and just keep slicing and eating it. I pour EVOO over it and feast on it with bread.
In Campania the Fior di Latte, in my opinion, is not as good as in Puglia BUT they make the infamous Mozzarella di Bufala there! An incredible mozzarella, Bufala mozzarella is more earthy and nutty. The texture is completely different and the water content is higher. Mozzarella in Puglia is such a diet staple, not to mention such an amazing treat. Pliable, tender and oozing milk fat. Alone, or with bread and tomato. Mozzarella di Bufala sandwiches are truly perfect. Thick sliced beefsteak tomatoes, fresh leaves of basil on crusty firm spongy Pugliese bread with EVOO and sea salt. Another favorite from Puglia is “Pane Pomodoro.” It’s simply bread and tomatoes with coarse sea salt, tons of fruity Pugliese EVOO and some hand torn basil leaves. Always use a dense spongy pane Pugliese for pane Pomodoro and always press the ripe tomatoes into the bread, smashing the pulp into breads pores. For a nice brunch twist on Pane Pomodoro add a poached egg on top and some torn wild arugula leaves and you will be thanking me profusely!
Tags: Campania, mozzarella, Puglia