Mozzarella

The famous cheese from the Naples region of Campania. A particularly esteemed example comes from Battipaglia. Once it was only made from the curds of milk from water buffaloes, but now it is produced in combination with, or totally of, cow’s milk curds. The ideal mozzarella should be soft, moist, and creamy. It usually comes in ovals that weigh approximately 1 pound and are stored in cool water until they are sold. Commercially prepared mozzarella in North America is often too salty and gummy, lacking the requisite freshness. There are now stores and cheese companies that produce good, fresh mozzarella—you should seek them out. Mozzarella is a good food for weight watchers. Its fat content (22 percent) is lower than that in most cheeses and, at 76 calories per ounce, it goes well with a lean pasta sauce such as Salsa Cruda.