B is for Burrata

Today’s post is all about cheese, burrata to be more specific.

Burrata, Italian for “buttered,” is a cow’s milk mozzarella cheese with a cream center. Basically it’s a cheese purse filled with more oozy cheese. The mozzarella is made the traditional way by adding rennet to warm milk to curdle it, then taking the cheese curds and massaging them together in hot, salted water. Once the mozzarella has reached its desired texture and consistency, a loose, gooey mixture of cream and more mozzarella are enveloped inside the outer mozzarella shell and sealed off at the top, resembling a tied-off coin bag.

When a ball of burrata is cut open, the creamy, cheesy center cascades out, ready to be spread on bread, crackers, or fruit. The cream center is similar to quark, a super-soft fresh farm cheese. Because cream has been added to the inner mozzarella, the center has a slightly milder, more neutral flavor than the outer cheese and is perfect for spreading on just about anything.

Try introducing burrata to your weekly menu at home. If you like mozzarella, chances are you’ll enjoy its more sophisticated cousin burrata. It can be served just like any other cheese: as an appetizer with breads, as a savory dessert paired with fresh fruit or preserves, or even as an accompaniment to wine. Experiment using burrata in place of traditional mozzarella as a topping for pizza, but be aware that although it melts beautifully, the cheese’s high moisture content may make the pizza soggy and not allow the dough to crisp properly. Get creative and make burrata the star of your salad, including it in a Caprese salad of vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil, or a salty prosciutto and melon salad. The combinations are infinite!