cheese
Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP
Tangier, wetter, richer — for raised-bar Margherita.
- Origin
- Campania, Italy
- Moisture
- high
About
Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP is fresh stretched-curd cheese made from water-buffalo milk in defined provinces of Campania, Lazio, Puglia, and Molise. The flavor is tangier and richer than fior di latte, with grassier, slightly funky notes from the higher butterfat (~9% vs cow's ~3.5%) and the buffalo's pasture diet. It's also wetter — the curd retains more whey — so for pizza, tear it, place it on a paper towel, and let it drain 20–30 minutes before topping. Best on a hot, fast Neapolitan bake where the brief char locks the cheese in place before it can flood.
History
Buffalo were brought to Campania by either Norman or Arab traders in the early Middle Ages; mozzarella di bufala has been documented since at least the 12th century. The DOP designation was granted in 1996, defining production zones and methods.