cheese
Fior di latte
Cow-milk fresh mozzarella; the workhorse melt.
- Moisture
- high
About
Fior di latte ("flower of milk") is fresh mozzarella made from cow milk, in contrast to mozzarella di bufala campana DOP which is made from water-buffalo milk. Sold in salted whey or as a drier press-mozzarella. For Neapolitan pies, tear by hand and let it drain on paper towels for 10–20 minutes before topping — fresh mozz weeps a lot of water, and a soggy center is the most common Margherita failure. For NY-style, cube and let air-dry overnight; this evaporates surface moisture and produces a less wet melt.
Substitutes
- Low-moisture mozzarella (LMM) — less weep, less stretch
- Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP — tangier, wetter; drain longer