Culinary Class

How to Make Burrata

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BURRATA: IT’S A BETTER MOZZARELLA

If you’ve made mozzarella before, it’s time to elevate your cheese game and try your hand(s) at burrata. If you’ve never made mozzarella, well, we’re starting you on the varsity squad here by showing you how to make an Italian delight that will tip your taste buds into a creamy coma of happiness. Burrata, which means “buttery” in Italian, is mozzarella’s cheesy cousin; externally, their shape, texture, and color are identical. But while mozzarella’s texture is uniform throughout, burrata has a more liquid, velvety inside, the result of heavy cream being mixed with the curds. With zero aging time, this burrata recipe is certainly one of the quickest to make, and it is also one of the easiest for home cooks to master.

You will need to plan ahead to find your curds (noted in our recipe), then burrata success is assured by following these three essential tips: First, don’t overmix either the cheese or the filling—lest the outer layer become too tough and the inner turn to butter. Second, go high fat for a richer, more robust end product. Lastly, experiment a bit—herbs or truffle oil add additional flavor to that luscious inner cream.

As for how to use your scrumptious orb, slicing it over homemade pizza or smearing on crostini for satisfying creamy/crunchy contrast are no-brainers. But don’t stop there; add dimension to salads, fresh pastas, or roasted vegetables.

TLP’s Burrata

Burrata

1 ½ cups fresh mozzarella curd*
Salt

Filling

1 cup curd*
½ - ¾ cup heavy cream (high butterfat cream recommended)

Notes:

* Look for curd at your local Italian market or specialty food store. Or try these online sources: Saxelby Cheeses
Baldor
Pennsylvania Macaroni Company
DiBruno Brothers
and Piccolo's Gastronomia Italiana

Someone mixing the curd and cream in a bowl for the burrata

step 1
Get your Fill

Make the filling by placing 1 cup of curd in a food processor. Purée until fine, then place in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup cream, stirring until well incorporated. Note: Do not overmix. Add more cream as needed to achieve desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate.

Someone cutting the curd into uniform, medium diced pieces.

step 2
Salty Simmer

For burrata, bring a large pot of salted water to simmer. Cut the curd into uniform, medium dice and place in a large bowl.

Someone ladling water over a bowl of the diced curd for the burrata.

step 3
Soak It Up

Remove water from heat and let cool to 160 to 180 degrees. Ladle enough water over curds to cover. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. If the water cools down too much, add more hot water.

Someone lifting a ball of curd with a wooden spoon out of a bowl of water.

step 4
Time To Shine

Using a wooden spoon, begin to gently stir curd until it comes together. Then gently pull curd (using gloves if desired) until lumps are gone and it is shiny. Note: Do not overwork or it will become tough.