Buffalo mozzarella
is traditional Italian fresh mozzarella cheese, made from the rich milk of water buffalos. Cheesemakers in Naples, Italy, have been making buffalo mozzarella for centuries, and aficionados still travel to that part of the country for the finest artisan varieties. Much of the buffalo mozzarella available in the United States is made from a mixture of cow's milk and buffalo milk, but there are imported varieties available in specialty shops that are made solely from buffalo milk.
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is a simple, tasty dish that features fresh mozzarella cheese, ideally buffalo mozzarella. To make a Caprese salad, use boconccini buffalo mozzarella, or cheese that is shaped into small balls of about an inch diameter. (If you can't find this variety, don't worry. Just cut a bigger chunk into smaller pieces.) Cut each ball in half. Add chopped ripe tomato in a volume about equal to that of the cheese. Season with olive oil, chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper. Eat it soon or cover it well so the mozzarella doesn't become chewy.
Pizza
Fresh buffalo mozzarella makes an exquisite pizza topping. Store your buffalo mozzarella in water until you are ready to use it. Slice the mozzarella balls as thinly as possible. Spread tomato sauce on your pizza crust, and then lay the mozzarella slices on top of the sauce.
Lasagna
You can use fresh buffalo mozzarella in your favorite lasagna recipe. Assemble the lasagna as you ordinarily would, substituting thin slices of buffalo mozzarella for grated mozzarella cheese between the layers and also on top of the lasagna.
Italian Flag Appetizer
To make a simply, tasty appetizer using the colors of the Italian flag, cut thin slices of avocado, tomato and buffalo mozzarella. Arrange the slices in rows with the slices of each ingredient overlapping one another. Drizzle the arrangement with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and chopped, fresh basil.
Tags: buffalo mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella, mozzarella cheese, buffalo milk, chopped fresh