Mozzarella di bufala Campana DOP (PDO Buffalo Mozzarella) is an excellence among the Italian food products and is mainly manufactured in Caserta and Salerno areas. Today, it’s the most important product with Protected Designation of Origin in Southern Italy. Its name is derived from the fact that the cheese strings obtained from the curds are “mozzati” (cut off) by the cheesemakers.
The Twelfth century documents prove that the monks living in San Lorenzo in Capua Monastery (near Aversa, Caserta) used to offer to pilgrims a piece of bread with a cheese called “mozza” (if fresh) or “provatura” (if smoked).
Just in 1570 the term “mozzarella” is mentioned for the first time in the famous book by Bartolomeo Scappi, cook at the Pope’s court.
Mozzarella became a consumer product at the end of the Eighteenth century, also thanks to the Bourbons, who realised a big buffalo farm including a cheese factory.
This dairy product is only manufactured with fresh whole milk coming from Mediterranean Italian breed buffalo. The animals are raised in open air pasture. Milk shall be delivered for processing within 16 hours from milking.
The curds pieces cut off after processing are kept in cold drinkable water and the final products are packed with their preservation liquid.
There are several mozzarella shapes available on the market: round shaped, bite-sized, plaits-shaped, pearl-like, cherry-sized, little knots, egg-shaped, with different weights, from 20 gr. to 800 gr.
It can also be smoked through a traditional and natural processing, i.e. by subjecting the mozzarella to wheat straw smoke until rind changes its colour from porcelain white to dark yellow. The smoked mozzarella has a light smoky flavour, which makes this cheese palatable and versatile.
Buffalo Mozzarella
