16 REAL ITALIAN 2017
Mozzarella
A mild-tasting Italian cheese made from cow’s milk,
mozzarella comes in two distinct types. Fresh mozzarella
is ball-shaped and packed in a whey-water mixture. The
balls range in size from 8-oz. so balls to tiny bocconcini.
The texture is so and springy, and the fl avor is sweet and
milky. Smoked mozzarella is made from the fresh version
and has a toasty appearance and smoky fl avor. Low-
moisture mozzarella is sold as plastic-wrapped bricks and
is a popular cheese for topping pizza in the U.S. because
of its shreddable texture and meltability. Low-moisture
mozzarella is available in both whole-milk and part-skim
versions; in our test kitchen, we’ve found that whole-milk
mozzarella tends to melt more smoothly.
Most supermarkets sell fresh mozza rella in their deli
section, though for a real treat, seek out the artisanal
fresh mozzarella made by local Italian cheese shops. Low-
moisture mozzarella is sold in the dairy section of the
supermarket with other plastic-wrapped block cheeses.
Keep fresh mozzarella submerged in the liquid it’s sold in,
and use it within two days of buying.
TRY IT: Eggplant Parmigiana, p. 53Italian Cheeses
Everyone knows Parmigiano-Reggiano, but there are a lot of Italian
cheeses to love. Stock up on these favorites and start cooking.
Mozzarella
A mild-tasting Italian cheese made from cow’s milk,
mozzarella comes in two distinct types. Fresh mozzarella
is ball-shaped and packed in a whey-water mixture. The
balls range in size from 8-oz. so balls to tiny bocconcini.
The texture is so and springy, and the fl avor is sweet and
milky. Smoked mozzarella is made from the fresh version
and has a toasty appearance and smoky fl avor. Low-
moisture mozzarella is sold as plastic-wrapped bricks and
is a popular cheese for topping pizza in the U.S. because
of its shreddable texture and meltability. Low-moisture
mozzarella is available in both whole-milk and part-skim
versions; in our test kitchen, we’ve found that whole-milk
mozzarella tends to melt more smoothly.
Most supermarkets sell fresh mozza rella in their deli
section, though for a real treat, seek out the artisanal
fresh mozzarella made by local Italian cheese shops. Low-
moisture mozzarella is sold in the dairy section of theWhile we love Parmigiano-Reggiano for its salty, nutty,
complex fl avor, it has a rival that deserves to be better known
in the United States: Grana Padano. Grana Padano has a
slightly sweeter and subtler fl avor than that of Parmigiano-
Reggiano and is equally capable of holding its own on a cheese
board or shaved over carpaccio or grated over pasta. They’re both
aged cow’s milk “grana” cheeses, meaning they have a grainy texture
resulting from amino acid crystals. Both are produced using similar
methods in the Po River Valley of northern Italy, but the PDO (Protected
Designation of Origin) of Grana Padano covers a far larger area than that of
Parmigiano-Reggiano, so it’s less expensive.
Grana Padano should be kept in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in parchment,
for up to three months. Rewrap it in a new piece of parchment every time you use it.
TRY IT: Raw Artichoke, Portobello, and Fennel Salad, p. 43Grana Padano
While we love Parmigiano-Reggiano for its salty, nutty,
complex fl avor, it has a rival that deserves to be better known
in the United States: Grana Padano. Grana Padano has a
slightly sweeter and subtler fl avor than that of Parmigiano-
Reggiano and is equally capable of holding its own on a cheese
board or shaved over carpaccio or grated over pasta. They’re both
aged cow’s milk “grana” cheeses, meaning they have a grainy texture
resulting from amino acid crystals. Both are produced using similar
methods in the Po River Valley of northern Italy, but the PDO (Protected
Designation of Origin) of Grana Padano covers a far larger area than that of
Parmigiano-Reggiano, so it’s less expensive.
Grana Padano should be kept in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped in parchment,
for up to three months. Rewrap it in a new piece of parchment every time you use it.
TRY IT:Grana Padano