Meet Scamorza, an Italian cheese with a top knot

Scamorza is a cow’s milk pasta flata style. Cheese Born in southern Italy. The cheese has a mild, lactic flavor and smooth texture, making it a The best melting cheese. Scamorza is known for its signature shape, which is created by tying a string or rope around the top of the cheese and hanging it to age.

What is Scamorza?

I’m about to start Southern Italian region From Basilicata, skimorza is a spun paste, or pasta flata cheese, similar to other spun cheeses such as Mozzarella, Provolonecaciocavallo, and string cheese. Smaller than provolone, its semi-soft texture and flavor profile resemble a firm, dry mozzarella cheese. Although usually made with cow’s milk, skimmorza can also be made with a mixture of sheep’s and cow’s milk, resulting in a richer texture and earthier flavor.

Scamorza is known for its signature pear or flask shape. After stretching, A cheese maker Tie a string around the top of each cheese, one on each end of the string. The wire is hung on a hook or pole, and the cheese is allowed to age for two weeks or more. This shape gives the cheese its name – scamorza means “pen head” in Italian – but it can also be made into other shapes, such as animal or bird.

How is scamorza made?

Pasteurized whole milk is gently heated, then starter cultures are added to start the fermentation process and acidify the milk. Next, Rant Milk is added to coagulate into a jelly-like, soft but firm curd. After several hours the curd is broken into small pieces and stirred. The whey is removed, and the curds are blended together into a solid mass. The curd is then cut or broken into large pieces, mixed with hot water to soften, and then gently lifted and spread with a large wooden paddle until smooth.

The smooth, silky curd is hand-twisted into the signature flask shape or pulled and braided into long strips. The flask-shaped cheese is then tied around the narrow part of the cheese with a string, one at each end. The scamorza is then soaked in salty brine before being hung up to dry for about two weeks. Skimmerza wheels are small, usually weighing between eight ounces and one pound.

Alternative

Low-moisture mozzarella or provolone can be used in place of skimmorza in sandwiches or dishes that require a mild cheese with good melting properties. Young caciocavallo, another Italian pasta flata cheese with a pear shape, is another possible alternative, although it is usually firmer and drier as it ages. Smoked mozzarella or smoked provolone make a good substitute for scamorza fumigata, or smoked scamorza.

Types

Aged Skimmerza is available smoked or unsmoked. Smoked Schemorza is called Schemorza afcomicata. An uncured skimorza, aged only a few days and resembling fresh mozzarella, is also produced.

uses

Like its relatives in the pasta flata family, mozzarella and provolone, skimmorza is a great melter. It can be used in baked pasta dishes. Lasagna Or shredded cheese can be fried or broiled until melted and bubbly on top of a pizza, similar to Argentina’s provolita, and then poured over or served with pasta or potatoes. Bruschetta Or bread as an appetizer. Scamorza makes one The best table cheese And it can be sliced ​​and used on sandwiches, deli trays and cheese boards.

storage

Store the skimmerza in its original packaging in the cool part of your refrigerator. After opening, it is ideal to re-wrap any leftover cheese with cheese paper. If you don’t have cheese paper, you can wrap the cheese tightly in parchment paper, then seal it in an unsealed plastic bag. This will allow the cheese to breathe while keeping it moist. Plastic wrap can also be used in a pinch, but is not ideal for long-term storage. Scamorza can last two to three weeks in your refrigerator, well-wrapped.

If mold has grown on the cut surface of the cheese, use a sharp knife to carefully trim away the moldy surfaces, taking care not to run the knife through the mold, spreading it to other parts of the cheese. can

Scamorza Recipes

Can you eat the rind?

Since skimmerza is only aged for a few weeks, its The peel Relatively thin and soft. The peels of both Scamorza and Scamorza affomicata are edible.