Mozzarella: Inventive Recipes from Leading Chefs With Buffalo Mozzarella

Rating:
Summary: Great Recipes for Mozzarella di Bufala
Review: "In the winding streets of Naples, mozzarella cheese is made daily from buffalo milk." Buffalo mozzarella is part of the everyday diet of Neapolitans and others who live in the southern Italian countryside of the Campania region. Buffalos made their way to southern Italy from India sometime in the sixteenth century. "Mozzarella di bufala" is almost synonomous with Naples, a city where Pizza Napoli was created about three hundred years ago.

When the royal couple of Italy visited Naples in 1899, they ordered pizza to show their solidarity with the people. Legend has it that a Neapolitan baker topped this famous pizza with the colors of the Italian flag by using thick, white slabs of mozzarella di bufala, sliced red tomatoes, and green basil leaves. The baker named his creation after the Italian queen, Margherita, and, to this day, we still order Pizza Margherita in restaurants and bake it at home. The word "mozzarella" derives from the Italian verb "mozzare," that! is, "to cut off, the action of breaking the cheese curd into smaller, more manageable pieces."

The process of making mozzarella di bufala is fascinating. I have seen American food television cooking shows that show it, beginning when the buffalo milk is poured into large metal vats; heated to 95 degrees for several hours; and then a "caglio" (coagulant) is added, which causes a curd to be formed. Next this curd is broken into smaller pieces, the liquid is drained off, and buffalo ricotta is formed, which is then heated for several hours. Finally, the cheesemaker scoops it up with a wooden palette to test it for readiness. When ready, the cheese is rolled into balls by hand, an art learned over years of apprenticeship, and then soaked in brine for several hours. The fresh cheese is best eaten within a day or two, but will keep up to five days. This art of cheesemaking is usually passed down through generations in southern Italian families. However, there are some large !manufacturers who treat the fresh milk with chemicals in order to give the resulting cheese a longer shelf live, but the fresh taste, aroma, and texture are then sacrificed.

After I saw this entire process, I came to appreciate why the cost of mozzarella di bufala is higher than that of regular mozzarella. Also, as long as it is authentic mozzarella di bufala, someone who has lactose intolerance should be able to enjoy it without the uncomfortable side effects that would result from eating mozzarella made from cow's milk. To me, summer means eating an insalata of thick-sliced fresh mozzarella di bufala, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, with basil leaves and a splash of balsamico fino.

Besides a history of mozzarella di bufala, this beautiful book offers 61 excellent recipes, with a color photo accompanying each one. Top chefs from 21 British restaurants have contributed these recipes, which are grouped in chapters: Insalata; Pane; Pasta; Legumi; Riso e Risotto; Pesc!e e Crostace; and Carne. There is a glossary of terms, with some recipes (Brioche, Mayonnaise, Pesto, Tomato Sauce), followed by an index.

At first, I thought, "Why would I want an Italian cookbook with recipes from British chefs?" After I tested some of the recipes, I have come to love this book. Now I have so many more ways to use my favorite mozzarella di bufala other than in the classic insalata. I enjoy making Eggplant Salad & Carta Musica; Fresh Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Smoked Mozzarella; Spaghetti alla Sorrento; Gâteau of Grilled Vegetables & Mozzarella; Buffalo Mozzarella, Tomato & Pesto Tart; and San Daniele Prosciutto with Mozzarella, Figs & Balsamic Dressing.

If you love mozzarella di bufala or have been eager to try it, you will like these recipes. Some of the ones with pane do take a while when made from scratch, but there are many other whimsical, easy, and creative recipes here, too.

Rating:
Summary: Bovine treasure!
Review: If you love buffalo mozzarella (and who on God's green earth does NOT?) you HAVE to buy this book (and you HAVE to buy it from amazon.com!!!). Particularly scrumptious is the braised eel stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and squid!

Rating:
Summary: Bovine treasure!
Review: If you love buffalo mozzarella (and who on God's green earth does NOT?) you HAVE to buy this book (and you HAVE to buy it from amazon.com!!!). Particularly scrumptious is the braised eel stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and squid!