Stracciatella

Description

Stracciatella is a stretched curd cheese “shredded” by hand and added with fresh cream which makes it creamy

Stracciatella is a fresh, spun curd cheese typical of the Apulia, Basilicata and Molise regions, mostly known as a soft filling for the famous Burrata. This product (which we recall is not a cheese, but a dairy product) was born in the early 1900s in the Masseria Bianchini in Andria, which later became the Chieppa Dairy. The intention was to reuse the very small scraps of stretched curd cheeses that were produced in the Masseria, which could not be used in any other way. In fact, Stracciatella is made from stretched curd “shredded” by hand, and added with fresh cream which makes it creamy. This soft filling was then closed in bags of stretched curd, the same as that of mozzarella, and tied on top while hot during the spinning process, thus giving it the shape of the famous Caciocavallo.

This dairy product is produced with whole cow’s milk and rennet, although originally it is said that buffalo milk was mainly used; nowadays it is not uncommon to still find in some areas of lower Lazio and in the province of Foggia some Stracciatella prepared with buffalo milk, according to the ancient local tradition.

Furthermore, Stracciatella is one of those dairy products that still undergo an artisanal manufacturing process that guarantees the product uniqueness and very high quality.

Stracciatella has no rind, is straw-yellow in color and its consistency is very soft and creamy, so much so that it resembles the appearance of a “double cream”. The flavor is instead savoury, delicate and sweet, especially in the freshly packaged product, and recalls the taste of milk and live lactic ferments. Even the smell clearly recalls fresh milk, cream and butter. If Stracciatella is not eaten immediately, its flavor changes, going from sweet to more acidic.

Its energy value is about 270 kcal for every 100 grams of product and it can be consumed, in the right portions, as part of a varied and balanced diet.

To best enjoy the flavor of Stracciatella it is recommended to consume it within 24 hours of purchase, because as it has no preservatives it cannot last long without spoiling. If it is to be consumed “cold”, it must be removed from the fridge at least half an hour before the meal, and immersed in hot water for about five minutes; at that point it can be served at room temperature so that the aromas are not inhibited by the cold of the refrigerator and that its typical creaminess remains the same and does not solidify. If, on the contrary, it is to be used for some recipe, then it must be left in the fridge for some time so that it solidifies again.

Among the traditional Apulian first courses that have Stracciatella as the main ingredient, the Orecchiette with Stracciatella and turnip greens cannot be missing, but risottos also do not disdain a good creaming made with this exquisite cheese. Stracciatella can be eaten alone with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, accompanied by a good green salad of lettuce and tomatoes, or it can be used to flavor cold or hot pasta dishes, according to the season.
Stracciatella really adapts to any type of menu and cuisine: try to bring this tasty cheese to the table in an original way, in the form of a sauce for pasta, together with tomato. If, on the other hand, you prefer something even easier, try it on a slice of bread as a filling for a delicious bruschetta or, again, as a filling for savory pies and together with baked zucchini flowers. Each dish will enhance the flavor of Stracciatella.