Photo courtesy of Gina DePalma, Pastry Chef

Campania's Greatest Cheese
By Gina DePalma, Pastry Chef

Mention Italy’s region of Campania and the likely conversation to follow will be about the stunning Amalfi Coast, exotic and chaotic Naples, and the region’s most famous export, pizza. But when I think of Campania, it always, always about the cheese.

South and west of the town of Salerno is a far less touristed part of Campania, where the mountains meet the coast and the valleys are home to some of Italy’s best cheese makers. The magnificent Parco Nazionale del Cilento and the connected Vallo di Diano are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a hotbed of lactic activity, producing some of the most important and beloved cheeses of Campania.

At the top of this list there can only be one Big Cheese, and it is without question Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, made from the milk of the water buffalo that roam the landscape of the Cilento. Wipe the image from your mind of those rubbery yellow blocks of unknown origin labeled “mozzarella” lying in the dairy section of your supermarket; they aren’t even close to the real thing and are more likely a form of edible plastic. True Mozzarella di Bufala is a fresh, stretched-curd cheese that forms layers that are wrapped around and around. The elastic layers eventually soften, forming a pillow-y, quivering mass that oozes droplets of tangy milkiness when cut. It is buffalo milk defines the cheese itself – mozzarella made from cow’s milk cannot be labeled Mozzarella di Bufala, and is instead known as fior di latte. Buffalo milk has a higher fat content than cow’s milk, giving Mozzarella di Bufala its characteristic creamy, melt-in-your mouth quality.

The process of making Mozzarella di Bufala starts with fresh buffalo milk that is heated and injected with rennet and whey to form loose, soft curds. The curds are broken into smaller nuggets that are soaked in more whey for a day or so, until they have become firm and bouncy. Next comes the fun part, and I can say that because I have tried my hand at making mozzarella a few times and it is blast. The curds are softened in boiling water until they become stretchy and pliable, like long, elastic ribbons. The cheese maker then stretches the curd using a stick, drawing it through the curd again and again until the ribbons can be shaped by wrapping them into a ball – that is what makes the layers, or “leaves.” The balls are left to sit, immersed in the milky liquid, until the curd relaxes and softens, compacting the layers and creating the unique texture of the cheese.

Since it is a fresh cheese, Mozzarella di Bufala is at its optimum flavor – buttery, slightly grassy, and tangy – one or two days after it is made. Here in the States, the finest upscale markets and Italian specialty shops have it flown in directly from Campania and will offer it for sale for only a few days. My favorite way to eat it is with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt, or alternated on a platter with thin slices of sweet oranges and fresh figs for a delicious ending to a summer meal.

Fior di Latte is the other great mozzarella of Campania, made with the same method but from fresh, sweet cow’s milk. In Italian cuisine it is very important to distinguish between the two cheeses by using the proper name for each. Fior di Latte is generally a bit firmer and more structured than buffalo mozzarella, but no less magnificent. The cultured curd gives the cheese a characteristic tang and a bright, grassy flavor.

Mozzarella production is deeply woven in the culture and history of Campania, and is closely monitored by the consortium that bestows the DOP designation. Their use ranges far beyond the classic Pizza Margherita and Insalata Caprese, so don’t be afraid to pair them with fresh fruit, cured meats and lightly wilted greens.

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