La Apulian stracciatella, not to be confused with the flavour of ice cream, it was born in the early twentieth century (1900 AD) in a scenario of serious economic crisis and the rural population was forced to reinvent itself, and it is the most tender part of the burrata (a fresh stretched curd cheese, produced in Puglia in the area of the two Muge, in particular in Andria, the city where this particular and delicious cheese was born).
All dairy products, especially dairy residues stretched curd, were reused, and mixed with cream, to create this tasty cheese.
It has a spherical shape, similar to that of mozzarella, with a diameter of between 7 and 10 centimetres.
The name, stracciatella, comes from the fact that this creamy substance is obtained starting from the rags of burrata. Precisely for this reason, the dairy product in question is considered particularly fatty, with approximately 230 kCal for each XNUMX grams of the aforementioned cheese.
A completely negligible peculiarity of this dairy product is the total absence of crusts and eyes, which gives it the privilege of boasting a very soft consistency.
But how is this cheese prepared?
Many claim that the best and most profitable period for the production of stracciatella is the months between spring and summer, yet Apulian stracciatella is produced throughout the year.
To make it you need: 250g of braided mozzarella, 250g of cream (or fresh liquid cream) and fine salt.
When following this recipe, it is very important to use the braided mozzarella, knots. Unravel the braid to obtain a long, frayed strand (lengthwise).
Place the shreds in a bowl, cover them with the milk cream, and add salt, but without exaggerating. The mozzarella gives its salt to the cream, and it would taste too salty.
Once the dough is mixed, place the bowl in a cool place other than the fridge for at least 6 hours before using it.
Stir the mixture from time to time to give the cheese itself more creaminess and consistency.
Once prepared, stracciatella can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Of course, you can't get good stracciatella without good mozzarella.
Stracciatella can be used in various areas in the kitchen:
1) as a raw condiment (with a drizzle of oil) on a pizza;
2) can enrich the flavor of friselle with cherry tomatoes;
3) it can be used to mix first courses, such as risottos or pasta itself;
4) it can also be used in second courses of vegetables or bruschetta;
5) added to savory pies, where this dairy product adds an extra touch of freshness;
6) used as a filling for courgette flowers.
In short, this delight from the South, and from Puglia in particular, lends itself to dressing up well on different dishes, bringing with it that breath of freshness that the human palate appreciates so much when it is ready to be eaten.
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