Bushra Griffith
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese made with cow's milk. It is a specialty cheese and is harder to find than its more famous Italian contemporaries like mozzarella and provolone. The flavour of scamorza is similar to mozzarella but more intense, with a more pronounced saltiness. It is also described as piquant, milky, and creamy. Scamorza is a great addition to a cheese platter and works well as a pizza topping, a table cheese, and when cooked—on top of pasta, in sandwiches, or even pan-fried.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Taste | Milky, creamy, nutty, caramel-y, salty, sour, piquant |
| Texture | Semi-soft, elastic, stringy, dry, firm |
| Melting | Melts well |
| Use cases | Pizza topping, table cheese, sandwiches, pan-fried, grated on salads, soups or pastas, grilled |
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What You'll Learn
- Scamorza Bianca is a fresh, milky, and creamy cheese with a hint of sourness
- Scamorza Affumicata is a smoked scamorza with a darker rind and a nutty, caramel-like flavour
- Scamorza is a great substitute for mozzarella on pizza
- Scamorza is a semi-soft cheese made from cow's milk and lightly salted
- Scamorza is a specialty cheese and is harder to find than mozzarella
Scamorza Bianca is a fresh, milky, and creamy cheese with a hint of sourness
Scamorza Bianca has a similar texture to mozzarella—soft and elastic—but with less moisture. It is aged for two weeks, after which it can be sold or transferred for smoking to make Scamorza Affumicata. The regular, unsmoked variety has a light, milky flavour like mozzarella, but with a more robust and noticeably sour, piquant quality. Scamorza is also described as having a more intense, dominant flavour profile than mozzarella, making it a great addition to a cheese platter or a star ingredient in grilled cheese dishes.
Scamorza is often recognised for its pear-like or hourglass shape, with a rope tied around its "neck" before hanging it to dry and age. This process gives it an edible rind and its trademark appearance. The word "scamorza" means "to remove a part" in Italian, referring to the cheese's unique shape.
In terms of flavour, scamorza is described as mild and smooth, with a delicate and versatile profile. It is excellent when melted on pizza, paired with prosciutto or olives, or cooked on pasta or in sandwiches. It is also a wonderful table cheese, enjoyed with wine or on a charcuterie board.
Overall, Scamorza Bianca offers a fresh, milky, creamy, and slightly sour taste, making it a delicious and versatile cheese for various dishes or enjoyment on its own.
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Scamorza Affumicata is a smoked scamorza with a darker rind and a nutty, caramel-like flavour
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese made with cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd or \"spun\" cheese, made by letting the fresh cheese curds mature in hot whey to develop acidity, and then kneading them. It is then tied and hung to dry for one to two weeks, resulting in a firmer, saltier cheese.
Scamorza Affumicata is a smoked variety of scamorza with a darker rind and a nutty, caramel-like flavour. It is made by transferring the cheese to a smoking facility after it has been aged for two weeks. The smoking process gives it a drier and stringier texture, and an unmistakable, delicate smoky flavour and aroma.
The flavour of scamorza is similar to mozzarella but more intense, with a noticeably sour, piquant, milky, and creamy quality. It is often described as having a \"better melt and stronger flavour\" than mozzarella. Its unique flavour makes it a great addition to a cheese or charcuterie platter, and it can be used in cooking, such as on top of pizza or pasta, in sandwiches, or pan-fried.
Scamorza is commonly recognised due to its pear-like shape, with a rope tied around the "neck" before the drying and ageing process, resulting in its trademark shape and appearance.
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Scamorza is a great substitute for mozzarella on pizza
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese made with cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd or spun cheese, similar to mozzarella, and is categorized as a Pasta Filata or Filata cheese. The production method of scamorza involves tying and hanging the cheese to dry for one to two weeks, which results in a firmer, drier, and saltier cheese compared to mozzarella. This process also gives scamorza a more robust, piquant, and sour flavor, with a noticeable salty tang.
While scamorza and mozzarella share many similarities, scamorza has a stronger flavor profile that can enhance the taste of a pizza. Its more dominant flavor is harder to overpower, making it a great substitute for mozzarella on pizza. Scamorza melts well and has a better melt than mozzarella, ensuring your pizza topping remains gooey and delicious.
The two varieties of scamorza, scamorza bianca and scamorza affumicata, offer different flavor profiles to experiment with. Scamorza bianca is a fresh white cheese with a soft and elastic texture, similar to mozzarella but with less moisture. It has a milky and creamy flavor, akin to mozzarella, but with a more intense and salty taste. If you're looking for a more pronounced flavor, scamorza affumicata, or smoked scamorza, lends an interesting note to a dish with its unmistakable smokiness.
Scamorza is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of dishes, including pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and grilled dishes. Its unique flavor and melting properties make it a great substitute for mozzarella on pizza, adding a bit more "oomph" to your homemade creation.
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Scamorza is a semi-soft cheese made from cow's milk and lightly salted
Scamorza has a texture similar to a firm, dry mozzarella, but with less moisture. Its flavour is more piquant, milky, and creamy, making it perfect for melting. It is often described as having a more intense flavour than mozzarella. The smoked version, scamorza affumicata, has an unmistakable, delicate smokiness. Some scamorza is smoked over pecan shells, imparting a slightly nutty, caramelly flavour.
Scamorza is delicious eaten in slices, paired with prosciutto or olives, or cooked on top of pasta, in sandwiches, or pan-fried. It is also excellent as a pizza topping, as it melts very well. Grilling is another popular way to cook with scamorza, often accompanied by grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplants, and potatoes. It pairs well with most cured meats and bold ingredients.
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Scamorza is a specialty cheese and is harder to find than mozzarella
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese made with cow's milk. It falls into the pasta filata category of cheeses, which are stretched-curd cheeses. The production method of scamorza involves hanging the formed and tied cheese from a rope for about two weeks, which results in its unique pear-like shape.
The texture of scamorza is similar to that of firm, dry mozzarella, but with less moisture. It is described as elastic and stringy. The flavour of scamorza is more intense than that of mozzarella, with a noticeably sour, piquant, milky, and creamy taste. The smoked version of scamorza, known as scamorza affumicata, has an unmistakable smokiness that can enhance the flavour of a cooked dish or a cheese board.
Scamorza is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is often used as a substitute for mozzarella, particularly on pizza, as it melts well and has a stronger flavour. It can also be grilled, paired with cured meats or prosciutto, or added to salads, sandwiches, or pasta.
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Frequently asked questions
Scamorza is a semi-soft Italian cheese with a mild, smooth, and creamy flavour. It is often described as tasting like mozzarella but with a more intense, piquant, and salty flavour.
While scamorza and mozzarella share many similarities, scamorza is a more intense and salty cheese. It is also drier and has less moisture. Scamorza is also hung to dry for one to two weeks, whereas mozzarella is packaged straight from the briny bath.
Scamorza is a very versatile cheese and can be used in many dishes. It is a great pizza topping and can also be used in salads, sandwiches, or pan-fried. It pairs well with cured meats and grilled vegetables such as zucchini, eggplants, and potatoes.
Scamorza is a specialty cheese and may be harder to find than more common cheeses like mozzarella or provolone. It is recommended to look for it in specialty cheese shops or Italian markets. It can also be ordered online.
Scamorza is an aged cheese and should be used quickly after opening as its delicate flavour and aroma can fade. However, it does have a good shelf life and keeps well if stored properly.
