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Burrata
Burrata (boor-rah-tah), a fresh mozzarella-like cheese from the Italian
region of Puglia, is prized for its two textures (a so , elastic, spongy
outer layer wrapped around a creamy, oozy interior) and its rich milky
fl avor. Some say Burrata (derived from burro, butter in Italian) was fi rst
created as a means to use up le over scraps of mozzarella cheese. The
cheese makers would add cream to the scraps and wrap them in a
pouch made from a larger piece of mozzarella. As with regular
mozzarella, Burrata was originally made with water bu alo
milk but is now more typically made with cow’s milk.
Best sliced with a serrated knife, Burrata is delicious
paired with crusty bread and fl avorful ingredients like
prosciutto, tomatoes, olives, nuts, and herbs.
Look for Burrata in well-stocked groceries,
gourmet markets, and cheese shops. Highly
perishable, burrata should be eaten within 24 hours
of purchase and is considered past its prime a er
about 48 hours.
TRY IT: Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad with
Tomato Conserva Vinaigrette, p. 39Asiago
A semi-fi rm Italian cow’s milk cheese, Asiago has a
mild, slightly tangy fl avor. Most recipes that call for
grating the cheese are recommending aged Asiago,
which is also the most widely available kind in the
United States. Aged Asiago is fi rm and slightly spicy,
perfect for grating over pasta and salad or for serving
as part of a cheese course. Fresh Asiago (Asiago Pres-
sato) has a creamy yet delicate fl avor and melts well.
It’s always best to buy a chunk of cheese and grate
it yourself rather than buying preshredded, which dries
out and loses fl avor fast. A pale beige interior with
small holes throughout is expected.
The rind of Asiago is not eaten, so remove it before
shredding or grating. If serving as part of a cheese
course, let it warm up at room temperature.
Wrap the cheese tightly in plastic wrap and keep
refrigerated.
TRY IT: Gratinéed Tomatoes with Asiago and Fresh
Herbs, p. 75Burrata (boor-rah-tah), a fresh mozzarella-like cheese from the Italian
region of Puglia, is prized for its two textures (a so , elastic, spongy
outer layer wrapped around a creamy, oozy interior) and its rich milky
, butter in Italian) was fi rst
created as a means to use up le over scraps of mozzarella cheese. The
cheese makers would add cream to the scraps and wrap them in a
pouch made from a larger piece of mozzarella. As with regular
mozzarella, Burrata was originally made with water bu alo
milk but is now more typically made with cow’s milk.
Best sliced with a serrated knife, Burrata is delicious
paired with crusty bread and fl avorful ingredients like: Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad withHerbs, p. 75Ricotta Salata
Ricotta salata is a crumbly cheese that
makes a great garnish for pasta and tacos.
Ricotta, Italian for “recooked,” is
a product of the waste-not process of
reheating—or recooking—the whey
produced from making other cheeses, like
Parmigiano-Reggiano, and adding citric
acid to make new curds. It can be made
from the whey of cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s
milk. To make ricotta salata (“salted
ricotta”), the ricotta (see p. 19) is mixed
with salt, pressed for fi rmness, and aged
for two to four weeks. Keep ricotta salata
well wrapped in the refrigerator.
TRY IT: Shaved Squash Carpaccio with
Capers and Ricotta Salata, p. 69