Everything is Better With Burrata

I’m putting this out there – I have only just discovered the wonder that is Burrata. I mean seriously, where has this creamy wonder been all my life? And to my eternal shame, Burrata means “buttered”, and you KNOW how I feel about butter.

This folks, is a cheese so great that it even has its’ own Facebook page Burrata Fan Page

Apparently, Burrata is “poor man’s Mozzarella”, something I seriously can’t fathom given its lushness.

Again, it owes its origin to buffalo milk, which I discovered in my research this week, is actually richer and higher in protein than cow’s milk, making it a perfect candidate for creamy cheese making. This means more curds and less whey—although it lacks carotene, the yellow pigment found in cow’s milk. As a result, mozzarella di bufala is pure white.

Back to Burrata. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is also defined by some sources as an outer shell of mozzarella filled with butter or a mixture of butter and sugar. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. When the Burrata is sliced open, ritagli-thickened panna (cream) flows out.

Burrata seems to be the cheese of the moment in the foodie world, with it popping up on menus from Detroit to Doha.Which is how it crossed my plate. It was served in a five course wine dinner menu at W Doha W Doha

Served with a papaya vinaigrette as the salad course. This Burrata was made by the kitchen, just the right amount of unctuousness offset by the papaya.

Sorry, lost myself for a minute there. The cheese has a rich, buttery flavor and retains its fresh milkiness. It is best when eaten within 24 hours, and is considered past its prime after 48 hours.

And it’s not like this cheese has a chance to last more than four minutes on a plate…I have a new mantra…everything is better with Burrata.