How to make Stracciatella at home

Straciatella is a fresh dairy derivative that arose as a solution to take advantage of the remains in the production of mozzarella. Its creaminess and softness allow it to immediately win the hearts of those who try it. It is mostly famous as a filling for the burrata in Puglia, but in Italy it can also be found separately.

The method is extremely simple: first, we must “unravel” or “fray” the mozzarella, which means to tear to threads of the cheese. This is called stracciare in Italian, hence the name of this preparation.

Arrange those threads in a bowl. Then cover with the cream and mix until integrated, in such a way that all the filaments are impregnated. Salt very lightly, cover, and keep for 12 hours before consuming.

How to taste the stracciatella:

Any recipe that calls for burrata can be replaced with this preparation. We can also use it to butter risottos, with pasta, etc. Or simply spread on bread, or even better, on a focaccia.

Tips and tricks:

1. Stracciatella must be eaten very fresh, before it develops acid notes. Ideally, do not wait more than 48 hours for consumption.
2. Use a very fresh mozzarella, ideally (if available) the “braid” or treccia from Puglia. In this way, we will obtain the perfect elongated filaments, which are needed for this preparation.
3. It’s advisable to use the cooking cream and not the creme fraiche. The result is creamy but soft, due to the lower fat content. Also, the consistency of the stracciatella will be better, since the latter is more liquid.
4. The proportions of mozzarella and cream are approximate, it is enough to cover all the filaments without leaving them “swimming” in too much liquid.
5. Salt the stracciatella very lightly, just for flavor. Do not forget that salt is a method of preserving cheese for longer time, which has no reason to be in this case.