() is a
southern Italian cow
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are called co ...
's milk
cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
. It can also be made from other milk, but that is less common. It is a (‘stretched curd’) cheese, in which the fresh curd matures in its own whey for several hours to allow the acidity to develop through the conversion of
lactose
Lactose is a disaccharide composed of galactose and glucose and has the molecular formula C12H22O11. Lactose makes up around 2–8% of milk (by mass). The name comes from (Genitive case, gen. ), the Latin word for milk, plus the suffix ''-o ...
to
lactic acid
Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has the molecular formula C3H6O3. It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as wel ...
.
Artisanal
An artisan (from , ) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food ite ...
cheese makers generally form the cheese into a round shape, then tie a string around the mass one-third of the distance from the top, and hang it to dry. The resulting shape is pear-like. This is sometimes referred to as "strangling" the cheese. The cheese is usually white unless
smoked. When smoked, the colour is almond with a lighter interior.
can be substituted for
mozzarella
Mozzarella is a Types of cheese#Semi-soft cheese, semi-soft non-aged cheese prepared using the ('stretched-curd') method with origins from southern Italy.
It is prepared with cow's milk or buffalo milk, taking the following names:
* or mozz ...
in most dishes.
Etymology
The term may come from the Italian phrases or , both meaning 'severed head'. This would also explain the use of in regional Italian to mean 'fool' or 'idiot'.
Production areas
In Italy, is more commonly made in the south. Strictly speaking, is a product of
Apulia
Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...
and
Calabria
Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
regions. However, it is available across the country, both in the unsmoked and smoked forms.
Mario Batali cites grilled as a traditional dish in
Neapolitan cooking.
[(Batali, M. 2008. Italian grill, p.33.)] In
Bari
Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
is made from sheep's milk.
See also
*
List of Italian cheeses
*
List of stretch-curd cheeses
This is a list of stretch-curd cheeses, comprising cheeses prepared using the '' pasta filata'' technique. The cheeses manufactured from this technique undergo a plasticising and kneading treatment of the fresh curd in hot water, which gives the ...
*
List of smoked foods
This is a list of smoked foods. Smoking (cooking), Smoking is the process of seasoning, flavoring, cooking, or food preservation, preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Foods have been smoke ...
References
{{Italian cheeses
Cow's-milk cheeses
Mixed-milk cheeses
Smoked cheeses
Stretched-curd cheeses
Italian cheeses