Making Mozzarella

There are many joys in life. Mozzarella is one of them. The small town of Ravello sits 365 mts above the beautiful Tyrrhenian sea by the Amalfi coast. Perched in the mountains, it is home to iconic cliffside gardens and renowned cooking classes. Mozzarella was first made near Naples, a city we also visited which sits in a bay at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Because Mozzarella was originally made from the rich milk of water buffalos and not from pasturized milk and b ecause there was little or no refrigeration, the cheese had a very short shelf life and left the southern region of Italy. That’s what the books say!

Mozzarella is however still very much present in the south and has weaved its way into many Italian dishes. One of those dishes is ‘Caprese’, my personal favourite. It is usually part of the primi plati section of Italian menus (first course) as it is light and appetizing, the perfect way to precede the main course.

The first step to making Mozzarella is pasturizing the milk- this is done by boiling the milk to about 160 degrees for 15 seconds. After, you stir a Rennet solution (lamb enzyme)
to allow the milk to form as a curd. Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt and then mix the mozzarella around, allowing it to stretch out. That’s when you can start making forming balls of mozzarella you see in the shops and restaurants!

Italy has alot to offer when it comes to food, you only have to look around the corner to find a bakery, Trattoria, Deli or gelato store. I’ve already began my Italian food affair and I look forward to cooking my way through exchange…. from cooking for other people , to discovering new dishes and learning about regional cooking traditions….Manggia Manggia

Taylor Bladen, Bachelor of communications and International studies, 11207192
e buon appetito!