Bushra Griffith
Scamorza is a traditional Italian cheese with a unique flavour and texture. It is made from cow's milk in the regions of Apulia, Calabria, and Campania and belongs to the pasta filata family of cheeses, which also includes mozzarella. Scamorza has a semi-soft, smooth and elastic texture and a mild, slightly sweet taste. It is often recognised for its distinctive pear-like shape and is commonly tied with a string at the top before being hung to dry. Scamorza can be used in a variety of dishes, including pizza, salads, soups, and pasta, and is known for its excellent melting qualities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of Origin | Southern Italy |
| Milk | Cow's milk |
| Type | Pasta filata ('stretched curd') |
| Texture | Smooth and elastic |
| Taste | Mild and slightly sweet |
| Colour | White, unless smoked (almond with a lighter interior) |
| Shape | Pear or teardrop |
| Substitutes | Mozzarella |
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What You'll Learn
- Scamorza is a stretched-curd cheese made with cow's milk
- It is a specialty cheese from Southern Italy
- It is similar to mozzarella but has a more intense flavour
- It is an excellent melting cheese and can be eaten fresh, melted, or grilled
- It is shaped like a pear or a teardrop and comes in different sizes
Scamorza is a stretched-curd cheese made with cow's milk
The cheese undergoes a stretching and moulding process, giving it a smooth and elastic texture. When fresh, scamorza has a firm and springy texture. As it ages, it becomes softer and more elastic. It is shaped like a pear or a teardrop and comes in different sizes. The colour of the cheese is usually white, but smoked versions, known as Scamorza Affumicata, have a brownish tint.
Scamorza has a thin external white layer, while its heart is compact and elastic, with a light colour. It has a delicate, slightly sweet, and milky flavour, with a slight taste of fresh milk. The smoked variety has a smoky and savoury flavour. It is an excellent melting cheese and can be eaten fresh, melted in hot dishes, or grilled.
Scamorza is often compared to mozzarella due to their similarities in texture and flavour. However, scamorza is firmer, saltier, and has a more intense flavour than mozzarella. It is also less moist and has a more pronounced sourness and piquant quality. Scamorza is considered a specialty cheese and may be harder to find than mozzarella or provolone.
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It is a specialty cheese from Southern Italy
Scamorza is a specialty cheese from Southern Italy. It is made from cow's milk in the regions of Apulia, Calabria, and Campania. It is a pasta filata ('stretched curd') cheese, where the fresh curd is left to mature in its own whey for several hours to develop acidity through the conversion of lactose to lactic acid. This process results in a smooth and elastic texture, similar to mozzarella.
Artisan cheese makers typically form the cheese into a round shape, then tie a string around one-third of the distance from the top and hang it to dry, resulting in a pear-like shape. This technique is sometimes referred to as "strangling" the cheese. The cheese is usually white, but when smoked, it takes on an almond colour with a lighter interior.
Scamorza is a versatile cheese that can be eaten fresh, melted in hot dishes, or grilled. It has a mild and slightly sweet taste, while the smoked variety, known as Scamorza Affumicata, has a smoky and savoury flavour. Its shape can be pear-like or teardrop, and it comes in various sizes.
As a specialty cheese, Scamorza is a delightful addition to any cheese platter or culinary creation. It can be substituted for mozzarella in most dishes, adding a touch of Southern Italian flavour to your meals.
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It is similar to mozzarella but has a more intense flavour
Scamorza is a stretched-curd cheese, made with cow's milk. It is a traditional Italian cheese, particularly known in the southern Italian regions of Apulia, Calabria, and Campania. It features a thin external white layer, while its heart is compact and elastic, with a light colour. Its pear-shaped form is obtained through manual making.
Scamorza is often compared to mozzarella, another Italian cheese. Both are spun cheeses of the pasta filata grouping. However, scamorza is considered a more intense version of mozzarella. While mozzarella is described as "fresh, fun, and easy to get along with", scamorza is likened to its "slightly edgier older sibling". This is because scamorza is tied and hung to dry for one to two weeks, resulting in a firmer and saltier cheese.
The flavour of scamorza is similar to mozzarella but more intense. It has a milky and creamy flavour like mozzarella, but it is more robust and complex, with a noticeable tartness and a pronounced saltiness. Scamorza also has a sweeter taste than mozzarella, which is only slightly sweet. This sweetness in scamorza is derived from the fresh milk used in its making.
The similarities between scamorza and mozzarella are easily noticeable, and scamorza can be used as a replacement for mozzarella in many recipes. However, despite being made the same way, the flavours of the two cheeses are noticeably different, and scamorza will give a dish its own distinct flair.
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It is an excellent melting cheese and can be eaten fresh, melted, or grilled
Scamorza is a stretched-curd cheese made with cow's milk. It is a traditional Italian cheese, particularly in the southern regions of Italy. It has a thin external white layer and a compact, elastic, light-coloured interior. Its pear or teardrop shape is obtained through the manual making of this cheese.
Scamorza is an excellent melting cheese and can be eaten fresh, melted, or grilled. It is a great alternative to mozzarella, with a more intense flavour. When melted, it has a wonderful, creamy consistency. It can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to pizzas and grilled dishes. It is a very versatile cheese. For example, it can be used to make an easy bruschetta by layering crispy Italian bread with extra virgin olive oil, scamorza, tomato, and a pinch of oregano. It can also be used in place of mozzarella on pizza or in lasagne.
Scamorza has a delicate, sweet, and slightly salty flavour. The smoked variety, Scamorza Affumicata, has a distinctive smoky and savoury flavour. This variety is made by transferring the cheese to a smoking facility after it has been aged for two weeks. The smoking process gives it an extra layer of flavour and an interesting note when added to cooked dishes or cheese boards.
Scamorza is considered a specialty cheese and may be harder to find than other Italian cheeses such as mozzarella and provolone. It is a semi-soft cheese and has a smooth and elastic texture. It is often recognised by its pear-like shape, which is formed by tying a string at the top and hanging it to dry.
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It is shaped like a pear or a teardrop and comes in different sizes
Scamorza is an Italian cheese that is made from cow's milk in the regions of Apulia, Calabria, and Campania. It is a semi-soft, stretched-curd cheese that belongs to the pasta filata family, much like mozzarella. The cheese undergoes a stretching and moulding process, giving it a smooth and elastic texture. When fresh, scamorza has a firm and springy texture. As it ages, it becomes softer and more elastic.
The cheese is shaped like a pear or a teardrop and comes in different sizes. Its pear-shaped form is obtained through the manual making of this cheese. While it is not mandatory for it to be shaped this way, it is common to tie a string at the top of the cheese before hanging it to dry. The colour of the cheese is usually white, but smoked versions, known as Scamorza Affumicata, have a brownish tint.
Scamorza comes in two varieties: Scamorza Bianca and Scamorza Affumicata. Scamorza Bianca, or plain scamorza, is a fresh white cheese, similar to mozzarella in texture: soft and elastic, but with less moisture. It has a milky and creamy flavour like mozzarella, but it is more robust and has a noticeably sour, piquant quality. Scamorza Affumicata, or smoked scamorza, is a soft and creamy cheese that has been smoked to give it extra flavour. It has an unmistakable (though not aggressive) smokiness that can lend an interesting note to a cooked dish or a cheese board.
Scamorza is often recognised for its pear-like shape and its delicate and versatile flavour. It is an excellent melting cheese, making it a great topping for pizza or lasagna. It can also be sliced and served with mild salami or grated on top of salads, soups, or pastas.
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Frequently asked questions
Scamorza is a stretched-curd Italian cheese made with cow's milk. It is considered a specialty cheese and is particularly known in Southern Italian regions.
Scamorza and Mozzarella are both part of the pasta filata grouping of cheeses, which are spun and stretched. They share a creamy and milky flavour, but Scamorza is more intense, saltier, and piquant. Both melt well and are versatile in terms of flavour.
Scamorza is tied and hung to dry for one to two weeks, whereas Mozzarella is packaged straight away. This makes Scamorza firmer and saltier. Scamorza also has a more complex flavour with a noticeable tartness and sweetness.
