Patrick Oconnell
Burrata is a soft Italian cheese made from cow's milk (or occasionally buffalo milk), cream, and mozzarella. The cheese is produced by forming a soft pouch from mozzarella, which is then filled with a mixture of cream and fresh curds. The pouch is then sealed, giving burrata its signature dumpling-like shape. The outer appearance of burrata is similar to that of fresh mozzarella, but the inside contains a soft, oozing mixture of cream and small cheese curds.
What is Burrata Cheese Made From?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Soft, fresh Italian cheese |
| Milk | Cow's milk (occasionally buffalo milk) |
| Outer Casing | Solid cheese/soft mozzarella |
| Inside | Stracciatella, clotted cream, small cheese curds, fresh curds |
| Texture | Soft, stretchy, oozy |
| Taste | Milky, sweet, creamy, buttery |
| Additives | No additives, preservatives or artificial fillers |
| Best Served | Within a day of being made |
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Mozzarella and cream
Burrata is a soft, fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell or casing of burrata is made of soft mozzarella, while the inside contains a mixture of cream and small mozzarella curds. This gives burrata its unusual, soft texture and oozing, gooey consistency.
The process of making burrata involves filling a stretched curd pouch with a mixture of cream and fresh curds, which is then sealed to create its signature dumpling-like shape. The mozzarella curds are first plunged into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneaded, and pulled to develop stretchy strings, before being shaped into a pouch. The pouch is then filled with the scraps of leftover mozzarella and topped off with fresh cream before being closed and wrapped in asphodel leaves.
Mozzarella is a key ingredient in burrata, providing the outer wrapping or shell. However, unlike mozzarella, which is made from stretched curds, burrata's centre is filled with a mixture of cream and curds, giving it a more decadent, concentrated milky taste and a sweetness reminiscent of rich cream.
Burrata is a relatively young cheese, developed in the early 1900s or around 1956 in the Puglia region of southern Italy. It is made from cow's milk or occasionally buffalo milk, with rennet used to curdle the warm milk. The cheese is best enjoyed fresh, within a day of being made, as waiting too long can dilute its taste and texture.
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Cow's milk
Burrata is made from cow's milk, rennet, and cream. The process of making burrata starts out similar to that of mozzarella and many other cheeses. First, large vats of milk are filled and heated, allowing rennet to slowly curdle the milk. Once formed, the curds are dropped into hot whey and left to blend into a flexible paste. Workers then carefully weave and pull the curd, developing a spun consistency.
When the desired texture is achieved, the burrata is formed into a soft pouch and packed with torn strings of mozzarella and cream before being sealed off. The finished burrata is traditionally wrapped in asphodel leaves, tied into a topknot, and moistened with whey.
Burrata boasts clearer flavors when it is fresh, so it is best enjoyed within a day of being made. Unlike other cheeses, burrata does not require aging or maturing and contains no additives, preservatives, or artificial fillers.
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Stretched curd
Burrata is a soft, fresh Italian cheese made from cow's milk or, less frequently, buffalo milk. It is a speciality of the Puglia region of southern Italy. The cheese is made by stretching curds to create a pouch, which is then filled with a mixture of cream and fresh curds. The pouch is then sealed, giving burrata its signature dumpling-like shape.
The process of making burrata starts out similarly to mozzarella and many other cheeses, with rennet used to curdle warm milk. However, burrata's fresh mozzarella curds are then plunged into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneaded, and pulled to develop stretchy strings (pasta filata). The curds are carefully woven and pulled to develop a spun consistency, akin to stretched-curd cheeses. Workers rely on touch and pliability to determine when the desired texture has been attained.
The still-hot cheese is then formed into a pouch, which is filled with scraps of leftover mozzarella and topped off with fresh cream before being sealed. The finished burrata is traditionally wrapped in asphodel leaves, tied to form a brioche-like topknot, and moistened with whey.
Burrata is best enjoyed within a day of being made, as waiting too long would risk the taste and texture being diluted. No additives, preservatives, or artificial fillers are used in the production of burrata, ensuring a clean and gluten-free product.
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Artisanal cheese
Burrata is an artisanal Italian cheese made from cow's milk (or occasionally buffalo milk), mozzarella, and cream. The cheese was developed in the Puglia region of southern Italy in the early 1900s, though some sources suggest it may have been first made as recently as 1956. Burrata is a relatively young cheese when compared to others, which have been around for thousands of years.
The process of making burrata starts out much like mozzarella and many other cheeses, with rennet used to curdle warm milk. However, unlike other cheeses, burrata is made by plunging the fresh mozzarella curds into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneading and pulling them to create stretchy strings (pasta filata), and then shaping them into a pouch. This pouch is then filled with scraps of leftover mozzarella and topped off with fresh cream before being sealed shut at the top. The finished burrata is traditionally wrapped in asphodel leaves and tied with a brioche-like topknot.
Burrata has a soft, stretchy exterior made of mozzarella, and an oozy, gooey mixture of cream and small cheese curds on the inside. The Italian word "burro" translates to "butter," indicative of the rich and creamy texture of the cheese. Burrata is best enjoyed fresh, within a day of being made, as waiting too long would dilute its taste and texture.
Burrata is a key ingredient in many Italian dishes, such as pizza, pasta, and Caprese salads. It is often served with extra virgin olive oil and crusty Italian bread. The cheese has a supreme balance of flavor and texture, with similar flavor notes to mozzarella but a more decadent, concentrated milky taste and a hint of sweetness from the cream. Burrata's signature dumpling-like shape and unique texture and flavor make it a premium artisanal cheese.
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Puglia region
Burrata is a speciality of the Puglia region of southern Italy. It is produced from cow's milk, rennet, and cream. The cheese is thought to have originated in the town of Andria in the Murgia region of Puglia around 1900, on the farm of the Bianchino brothers, Lorenzo and Vincenzo. More recent records show that Lorenzo Bianchino of the Piana Padura farm first developed the product in 1956.
Burrata di Andria became a protected geographical indication (PGI) product in November 2016. To qualify as burrata di Andria, all operations, from the processing of raw materials to the production of the finished product, must take place in the defined geographical area of the Puglia region.
Puglia is one of the main producers of mozzarella, with the Murgia area near Bari being the centre of production. Towns like Gioia del Colle and Putignano produce large amounts of mozzarella, and several local farmers in the rest of the region and the nearby Itria Valley also produce mozzarella.
Puglia is also famous for other varieties of cheese, such as ricotta, caciocavallo, scamorza, and many more. The region offers cheese tasting experiences at some of the best cheese farms and local cheese producers, where visitors can learn about the production process and taste different varieties of fresh and aged cheeses.
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Frequently asked questions
Burrata is an Italian cheese made from cow's milk (or occasionally buffalo milk), mozzarella, and cream.
Burrata has an outer shell made of soft mozzarella. The inside contains a mixture of cream and small mozzarella curds.
While burrata and mozzarella have similar flavor notes, burrata has a more concentrated milky taste and a hint of sweetness. Visually, mozzarella is made from stretched curds all the way through, whereas burrata has a centre of cream and curds.
To make burrata, milk is heated and curdled using rennet. The curds are then dropped into hot whey and kneaded to develop stretchy strings. The hot cheese is then formed into a pouch, filled with scraps of mozzarella and cream, and sealed.
Burrata is best enjoyed fresh, within a day of being made. It is often served with olive oil and Italian bread. It can also be used as an ingredient in dishes like pizza, pasta, and Caprese salads.
