What is mozzarella?

mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, string cheese

Mozzarella, made from the milk of cows, is what is called a "pasta filata" cheese, which means its curd is pulled and stretched to make a spongy, soft ball. Fresh mozzarella is quite mild and works incredibly well as an ingredient cheese as it absorbs and melds with other flavors well. Use fresh mozzarella melted on pizza, bruschetta, or pasta. It’s also great sliced on a roasted vegetable sandwich.

Mozzarella is a "fresh cheese", being that it is not aged before consumption. When purchasing mozzarella, make sure it is packed in brine (salty water) which will help the cheese retain its trademark moisture. Don’t even think of using the firm, brick-like chunks of "mozzarella" you find in the grocery. Finally, string cheese, while fun to dissect, is not a substitute for fresh mozzarella.

Come to think of it, what is buffalo mozzarella (Italian: Mozzarella di Bufala)?

This is simply mozzarella made from the milk of water buffalo (yes – those huge beasts with massive horns). Their milk is completely different from a cow’s, and the result is a more rich, succulent, tender cheese. In this recipe, you can certainly use this more expensive variety, but I find that cows’ milk mozzarella works better because its firmer texture can hold up to the liquid ingredients.

Fresh Cows’ Milk Mozzarella Cheese

This comes in a variety of sizes – 1-lb. balls, racquetball-sized, cherry-sized, and others. You can use any here, slicing as necessary to make it bite-size. While some prefer large slices of mozzarella and tomato, in my world, this should be low-effort consumption – no knife required.

Ripe Tomatoes

Any size is great – cherry or grape tomatoes can be added whole. Larger tomatoes should be sliced to into bite-size pieces.

Fresh Basil

You can get fresh basil in practically any market these days.

VERY GOOD Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Something from Tuscany or Sicily works great here, as those oils have a more peppery, spicy side. But you can use any olive oil you love, as long as it’s flavorful.

Balsamic Vinegar

You don’t want something too aged, as it will be highly concentrated, thick, and sweet (which works quite well drizzled over strawberries, but not as well here). The key in this recipe is "fresh" and "light". You want a balsamic that has the consistency of red wine.