Mozzarella Cheese

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Mozzarella cheese

Mozzarella cheese is a mild soft white cheese, originating in the area of Naples, Italy. Mozzarella cheese is often used:

• as a topping for pizza
• in hot sandwiches
• deep-fried to make mozzarella sticks
• in melanzane alla parmigiana and baked pasta dishes
• raw, in tomato salads.

With the advent of refrigeration and pre-shredded soft cheeses, it has become practical to use mozzarella cheese at the table in place of the strong-smelling Parmesan cheese.

The most authentic mozzarella is made fresh in Italy from raw Water Buffalo milk, called mozzarella di bufala Campana, made with the milk from water buffalo raised in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio in a semi-wild state, formed into balls, and does not last more than about a day: this type of mozzarella cannot be used in cooking as it turns into string instead of melting. World-wide mozzarella is mostly made from pasteurized cow milk, in a form with a longer shelf life: this form of mozzarella is often known to Italians as fiordilatte, and is used in baked dishes. It is sometimes sold processed as String cheese.