Mozzarella Recipe: Cheesemaking Tips and 4 Serving Ideas

Mozzarella is a semisoft and pliable Italian cheese. It has a fresh, slightly sweet, milky flavor. The name “mozzarella” is a diminutive form of “mozza” or “mozzare,” meaning “to cut.” In Italy, traditional Mozzarella di Bufala features water buffalo milk; you can find it in various shapes, from bite-sized ovolini to egg-sized bocconcini and plaits known as treccia. Burrata cheese features an outer casing of mozzarella stuffed with a mixture of curds and cream.

In cheesemaking, mozzarella belongs to a family of cheeses known as pasta filata—Italian for “spun paste.” The pasta filata technique involves lightly kneading and stretching curds in hot water or whey to create a fibrous, “spun” consistency. (Some hard cheeses, like provolone, also get made in the pasta filata style.)

Eat fresh mozzarella the day you make or purchase it and keep it in brine until ready to use. (The bags of shredded, low-moisture mozzarella you find at the grocery store get dried to extend their shelf life and last much longer.) Here are a few of the best ways to use up a ball of fresh mozzarella:

1. 1. Composed salad: Caprese salad is one of the most iconic ways to enjoy mozzarella. It consists of fresh mozzarella paired simply with cut tomatoes, fresh basil, a drizzle of good olive oil, and, occasionally, balsamic vinegar. For a fruity twist on caprese salad, serve mozzarella with figs and sliced stone fruits like peaches, nectarines, or apricots, or fresh citrus and olives.
2. 2. Lasagna: Use torn mozzarella in baked pasta dishes like lasagna, where its long strands weave together bites of noodle and sauce. Here’s how to make lasagna at home.
3. 3. Pizza: Chunks of fresh mozzarella are ideal for topping homemade Neapolitan-style pizzas and flatbreads. Fresh mozzarella is just one of three approved toppings for a classic Margherita pizza (the other two are basil and tomato sauce).
4. 4. Sandwiches: Mozzarella is a classic sandwich cheese. Its meaty texture is the ideal replacement for meat in a vegetarian sandwich, and it adds moisture to sandwiches packed with Italian deli meats. For a simple lunch, spread a ciabatta roll with Chef Massimo Bottura’s mint-basil pesto, then top with slices of fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

It’s easier than you might think to make homemade mozzarella cheese. Here’s what to know:

1. 1. Order the citric acid and rennet ahead of time. Mozzarella uses two coagulants: citric acid and rennet. You may have luck finding both ingredients in some specialty grocery stores, but if not, you can easily order them online. Rennet comes in both a tablet and liquid form, and which you choose is a matter of preference. Liquid rennet is easiest to measure and scale up or down, but tablets are convenient and easy to store.
   
2. 2. Use cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or water buffalo milk. Though cow’s milk and water buffalo milk are traditional, you can make a goat’s milk mozzarella cheese using the same method. While whole milk will result in the richest flavor, low-fat or skim milk will also work.
3. 3. Avoid ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk. When choosing your milk, steer clear of anything that’s been ultra-pasteurized, as the proteins won’t fully solidify into curds. If you can only produce curds with a fluffy, ricotta-like texture, it’s likely a pasteurization issue.

Mozzarella is an approachable project, even for a novice cheesemaker. Here’s the equipment you’ll need:

• Digital instant-read thermometer
• Fine-mesh strainer or a colander lined with cheesecloth
• Large, heavy-bottomed pot
• Liquid measuring cups and spoons
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Slotted spoon
• Rubber gloves