Brugnato Mozzarella
Features: Mozzarella is a pulled-curd cheese, round and with a milk-white color. It is always preserved in its own whey.
Production Area: medium Val di Vara
Curiosities: The name probably derives from the practice of "mozzare" (literally, "to chop off") the pulled curd in order to give it the chosen size. Originally, mozzarella was exclusively produced with buffalo's milk, but today it is mainly produced with cow's milk. Also in Brugnato, for about thirty years now, mozzarella is made with cow's milk. A very famous kind of cheese, mozzarella is ideal both alone and to enrich other dishes.
Preparation: Cow's milk is pasteurized at a temperature of 72°C and afterwards put into steel pots at a temperature of 38°C with milk enzymes. Once it is mature, it is processed in hot water with a kneading machine. Through this processing, the curd is transformed into pulled curd. The curd goes through the "moulding machine" to assume the final shape.
Recipe: Mozzarella can be eaten alone or flavored with oil, salt, and pepper. Ideal to prepare dishes cooked in the oven, it is essential to make pizza. Here we suggest "mozzarella in carrozza". For 4 persons: one big mozzarella, 8 slices of toast bread, 2 eggs, flour, 2 spoonfuls milk, salt, and oil. Divide the slices of toast bread in half and take off the crust. Cut mozzarella into rather thick slices and put them between two slices of bread. Cover everything with flour, beaten eggs with milk and salt, and fry in abundant oil.
