Fresh Mozzarella

Have you ever tasted fresh mozzarella cheese? Upon cutting a braid of mozzarella my heart instantly melts as I savored the delicate flavors. 

If you have never tried homemade fresh mozzarella, I can only say that the taste is like no other. First of all, the temperature of the cheese is tepid and almost slightly warm. At the first bite, you will taste the sweet, milky, goodness that sets it apart from all other mass-produced mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella is tender and yet a tiny bit chewy. It melts in your mouth and when you slice it, you can see the milk pool together at the bottom of the dish.

I personally like it dipped in salt brine because I like the contrasting taste between the salt and the sweet cream. YUM! 

At Talluto's we hand-make small batches of fresh mozzarella cheese several times each day. We make it fresh EVERY DAY and it is never more than a few hours old when you buy it.  Cheesemaking is an art and a passion of ours.  Eating fresh mozzarella is an experience that can be appreciated by all. The next time you are in to visit us, be sure to try it. Below are a couple of our Talluto family's favorite recipes using fresh mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella in Carrozza and Deconstructed Pizza Margherita.

Try this simple recipe below for a "deconstructed" version of pizza Margherita using a few simple ingredients.  

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf of Italian bread, sliced about 1 inch thick

1 ball of Talluto's fresh mozzarella cheese

1 container of Talluto's Marinara sauce

1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves

freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Place the slices of Italian bread on the pan and top with 1 or 2 slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese.
4. Heat the marinara sauce on the stovetop over medium heat.
5. Toast the bread in the oven for about 5 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and the bottoms of the bread slices are golden brown.
6. Remove the bread from the oven and place a few slices in a serving bowl.
7. Top the bread slices with some torn fresh basil leaves.
8. Ladle some hot marinara sauce over the bread slices.
9. Add some grated pecorino Romano cheese, if desired.
10. Enjoy this simple and cozy meal!

Here is a recipe for Mozzarella in Carrozza (Fried mozzarella sandwiches) with Anchovy Caper Sauce.

Ingredients:

8 slices of day-old Italian bread (approx. 1-1/2 inches thick)

1 ball of Talluto's fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1/4 cup milk

salt and black pepper, to taste
 
pure olive oil (something lighter in flavor for frying)
 
To make the sauce:
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp capers
the juice from a half of a lemon
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp salted butter
1/4 cup of dry white wine

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saucepan. Fry the chopped garlic in the pan until golden in color. Add the anchovy fillets and the capers to the oil. Allow the anchovy to cook and break down slightly in the sauce. Add the butter to the sauce and allow it to melt. Then add the white wine and the lemon juice. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Lastly, add the freshly chopped parsley.
2. Assemble and fry the sandwiches:
3. Slice the Italian bread into 1½ " slices and remove the crusts with a knife.
4. Slice the ball of fresh mozzarella into about 1" slices.
5. Assemble sandwiches by placing slices in between 2 slices of bread. Do not allow the mozzarella cheese to lay over the sides of the bread.
6. Beat the eggs with the milk and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
7. Gently press the sandwiches together.
8. Dredge the sandwiches in the all-purpose flour lightly coating the top, bottom, and sides.
9. Heat about 1 - 1½ " of olive oil in a medium-size skillet to prepare for frying.
10. Next, dredge the sandwiches in the egg and milk mixture and allow the bread to soak in the liquid. (similar to french toast)
11. When the oil is hot, lay the sandwiches in the oil and allow them to brown on one side.
12. Turn the sandwiches over and allow them to brown slightly on the other side until the mozzarella cheese is melted slightly.
13. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel.
14. Cut each sandwich in half and drizzle with the anchovy caper sauce.