Few culinary marriages are as pleasurable as that of pizza and mozzarella, although they can exist perfectly well without each other. This dairy product, with the permission of the Parmesan and the already somewhat tiresome burrata, has become so widespread that the vast majority of mozzarellas that we find for sale are imitations of greater or lesser quality, and in few labels we find buffalo milk among its ingredients.
This does not mean that excellent products are not produced with milk from other animals. inside and outside Italy; In Spain, without going any further, we have examples such as the Biribil Brothers project in Bilbao or the Zucca cheese factory. But the authentic, genuine and original mozzarella with the Protected Designation of Origin seal is still made with buffalo milk.
This is how the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Consortium defends it, the Italian institution that monitors compliance with the values of the authentic cheese made under the set parameters by the organization itself. As is the case with all denominations of origin or geographical indications, there are also producers who produce excellent mozzarellas without benefiting from the official seal, but when a certain cheese bears the certification, the consumer already has a guarantee recognized by Europe.
buffalo mozzarella
Authentic mozzarella cheese is made using only fresh buffalo milk, the female water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a large bovid from Asiawhere the largest livestock populations still live and are raised, both for their milk and for their meat.
They were probably introduced to Europe circa 12th century from Sicily, and since then the number of animals has not stopped growing, especially in the last two centuries. The evolution of the Italian buffalo has gone hand in hand with that of the mozzarella industry itself, adapting its upbringing to obtain greater profitability and quality of milk.
The strategic center of mozzarella production is in southeastern Italy, in the Campania region, although it has currently spread to other areas such as Lazio or Puglia. There are hardly a couple of hundred producers attached to the Consortium recognized by the DOP.
Le cento migliori ricette with mozzarella
Mozzarella di bufala PDO Carrefour Extra 125 g
What are the mozzarellas that are made with buffalo milk
In addition to looking for the certification seal of the Consortium and European protection, to ensure that a cheese is made only with buffalo milk, we only have to read the label and check it in the list of ingredients, where it always appears the origin of milk.
![What types of mozzarella are still made with buffalo milk? Mozzarella Manosjpg](https://i.blogs.es/13d295/mozzarella-manosjpg/450_1000.jpg)
Buffalo mozzarella can be presented in various formats:
fresh cheese balls formed by hand using the technique of mozzarellacompacting the rennet filaments or threads. They usually weigh between 150 and 200 g and are packed in their own whey, always refrigerated.
Boconccinomore cheeses little onesas small balls, widely used in starters or appetizers such as brochettes.
Ciliegine (cherries) and perline (pearls), still smaller and rounded, from about 10 grams of weight, perfect as antipasti or to add to salads.
Trecciapresenting the cheese in several balls joined together forming a thick braid, being able to weigh up to three kilos.
Mozzarella affumicata either smokedwith a characteristic color, aroma and flavor.
![What types of mozzarella are still made with buffalo milk? Braid](https://i.blogs.es/a57f8d/trenza/450_1000.jpg)
Thus, the blends of cheeses, the grated or special packaged formats for au gratin or for pizza, or the sliced, are not “authentic” mozzarellas, in the sense that they are not made with buffalo milk or, probably, following the rennet spinning method. They also have a longer shelf life and are notably cheaper.
Since the Consortium only recognizes as authentic certified cheeses those made in very specific production areas, cheese factories that do use buffalo milk outside the country will not be able to display the seal. But as consumers we can also choose mozzarellas spanish buffalostill very artisanal and limited, or the little known british mozzarellabrewed by at the Belland farm in Tetcott (Holsworthy, Devon), owned by mike greenaway and named as Blissful Buffalo Mozzarella.
![What types of mozzarella are still made with buffalo milk? Mozzarella3](https://i.blogs.es/6ff6b0/mozzarella3/450_1000.jpg)
As always, the label does not deceive, although sometimes you have to take out the magnifying glass. If it is made with buffalo milk, it must appear like this in the list of ingredients: pasteurized buffalo milk, whey, salt and rennet. We just have to try and choose the one we like the most, and also try it beyond pizza in many other recipes with mozzarella cheese.
Photos | Consorzio Tutela Mozzarella di Bufala Camapana PDO
In DAP | How to use mozzarella on pizza to enjoy it to the fullest, according to the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Consortium
In DAP | Mozzarella, burrata, stracciatella… What are the great Italian fresh cheeses and how do they differ?