Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

burrini also called manteche, are pear-shaped Italian cheeses, each of which encloses a centre of fresh butter (burro or manteca being the Italian for butter). This, being sealed from the air, does not go rancid, but does acquire a cheesy flavour.

Burrini, with bread, make a popular snack. They are found throughout the south of Italy, but especially in Calabria and Puglia, in the regions where caciocavallo and provolone are produced. They may be regarded as an offshoot of the latter cheese, since their cheese coats are made by the same process.