Burrata is served with barely cooked haricots verts at Cioppino at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Florida; Chef de cuisine Ramon Guerrero loves "the crunch of the beans [against] the texture of the cheese." PHOTO: REYNALDO ALES
	Burrata mozzarella's creamy cousin makes a fresh impression By Carole Kotkin
		Turbo-charged Super Tuscans made a huge splash on this side of the Atlantic some years back. Now a super mozzarella, whose attributes arguably make it the celebrity cheese of the moment, is making waves. A specialty of Apulia, a smallish region in the heel of Italy's boot, it is called "burrata" (pronounced boor-RAH-tah). Because of its rather short shelf life - about two weeks - the cheese has only recently traveled beyond Italy for international consumption (although it is said that the late Shah of Iran was so addicted to it that he had it flown in on a regular basis). Now the luscious cheese is finally being showcased stateside, both in specialty markets and, as many American chefs begin to focus on regions south of Rome, like Apulia, burrata is showing up on upscale restaurant menus. In appearance, burrata resembles nothing more than a ball of cow's milk mozzarella with a topknot. But there's a surprise inside: a creamy, soft, lava-like center that, once the cheese has been cut open, slowly and irresistibly oozes out onto the plate. Burrata derives its name from burro, Italian for butter, but it is actually filled with a mixture of heavy cream and stracciatella, "little rags" of mozzarella curds. The runny center is held intact by the skin of fresh mozzarella, which, in turn, is wrapped in the protective and flavorful blades of Apulian asfodelo (an herb-like plant similar to leeks). The end result places it in the company of the world's finest fresh cheeses. A pure, sweet, fresh cheese, such as burrata, is different than cheeses that keep longer because it is not aged at all. In fact, these cheeses are literally made today and go to market tomorrow. Among them, mozzarella is one of the simplest and quickest fresh cheeses to make - in less than eight hours it can go from milk to finished product. In fact, making burrata is so quick and simple that Andrea Froncillo, a San-Francisco-based executive chef at several of the city's hottest restaurants - including Boboquivari's steakhouse, Dead Fish, and the recently re-opened Franciscan on Fisherman's Wharf - actually operates a burrata bar at the latter where you can sit and watch the cheese take shape - right before popping it into your mouth. Or you can make it yourself, relying on Froncillo's online step-by-step tutorial (http://sexandthekitchen.typepad. com/photos/stepbystep_guide_to_makin/index.html). The method used to make burrata is much the same as that of fresh Italian mozzarella (including the prized mozzarella di Bufala), differing only in the final stretching technique, and in that burrata is ultimately filled. Originally produced from unpasteurized cow's milk, today burrata is made either from pasteurized cow's milk (fior di latte or "flower of the milk") or with milk from the water buffalo. (Because the FDA bans the import of cheeses made with raw milk aged less than 60 days, all imports must be made with pasteurized milk.) The fat content of the milk determines the richness of the cheese, while the type of milk determines its flavor. Buffalo milk imparts a particular tanginess. Rennet (an enzyme) is added to warm milk to make it coagulate and separate into curds and whey. The curds solidify into blocks and are then shredded into small pieces (either by hand or machine) and immersed in very hot water. The heavy curds fall to the bottom and form a mass that is lifted out, turned and kneaded using a wooden paddle. At this point, the process becomes an art form, as the cheese maker must know instinctively when to stop the pulling or stretching. Too soon and the cheese will be crumbly; too long and the cheese will lose too much of its butterfat, and along with it, texture and flavor. When the cheese forms a pliable mass, pieces are quickly pinched off and shaped into mozzarella forms. (It is this procedure that gives mozzarella its name - the Italian verb mozzare means to pinch off.) For burrata, the still-hot cheese is stretched into three-inch rectangles that are then filled with leftover strands of mozzarella (stracciatella) that have been left to soak in fresh cream, the by-product of the whey. After it is filled with the stracciatella and some of the clinging cream, the burrata is closed up with a topknot. Finally, the ball is brined briefly to flavor it, then packaged and shipped the same day. Some producers wrap the burrata, which weigh from one-half to one pound, with the asfodelo leaf. The leaves indicate the freshness of the cheese; as long as the leaf stays green, the cheese is deemed fresh. The quality of this "mother of mozzarella," like any cheese, correlates directly to its terroir - what the cow eats, where it grazes, the water it drinks, the distance it wanders and even the air it breathes. All of these varying conditions combine to make a unique and exquisite cheese. There is historical documentation of mozzarella's existence as far back as AD 1200, although it didn't become widespread in southern Italy until the 1700s. A century later, Neapolitan pizza became the vehicle that introduced it to northern Italians, yet few people ate the cheese on its own until after World War II. A relatively modern specialty, burrata was created in 1920 by Lorenzo Bianchino Chieppa on the Piana Padula estate in the Apulian town of Andria. According to Lou Santomauro, who co-owns Di Palo's Fine Foods in Manhattan's Little Italy, "Burrata was a way to utilize the ritagli ['scraps' or 'rags'] of mozzarella that were left over from the production," he notes. "My grandfather always said, 'Waste into wages.' We always called burrata a 'pregnant woman's belly' because of its round shape and also because it signifies the 'essence of life.'" Di Palo's, which was opened by his great-grandfather in 1910, is packed with hundreds of Italian products, including some 300 native artisanal cheeses. Because of its abbreviated shelf life, he says, "Burrata is extremely hard to find [at retail]. It must be flown in from Italy the day after it is made and quickly sold to consumers. We air-freight it in on Friday and by Saturday, it's gone." "It can be very difficult to source a fresh cheese such as burrata," agrees Tracy Chesman, vice president of sales for igourmet.com. "[Fortunately] our Italian buyer and importer, Margaret Cicogna, introduced us to an exporter of very high quality. The traditional burrata that we sell is made right outside of Bari. We fly it in every other week and always have people on our waiting list for the product to arrive. We sell out this cheese just a couple days after receiving a batch." (See www.igourmet.com, or contact (877) 446-8763, service@igourmet.com for more information.) In addition to her work for igourmet.com, Cicogna also sources fine Italian cheeses for wholesaler Atalanta Corporation, one of Di Palo's suppliers. "Our burrata is imported from Bari in Apulia [only] during the fall, winter and spring months. Its shelf life is 15 days from the day it is made," she says. That would be stretching it for Neopolitans, though. "They never serve mozzarella made the day before - only today's cheese," she adds. Cicogna also obtains tenerella, a burrata-style cheese made with porcini mushrooms or black truffles incorporated into the filling, from Il Forteto Cooperativa Agricola in Tuscany, the producers of the well-known Pecorino Toscano. "The best way to eat burrata is with the famous Altamura bread and taralli cookies of Apulia," she advises. "An ideal wine [match] is one that is soft and rich in flowery aroma and yellow fruit to go with the richness of the cheese, like a Donna Lisa, a white Salice Salentino." At Cioppino at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Florida, chef de cuisine Ramon Guerrero serves the burrata he imports twice a week from Apulia with barely cooked haricots verts drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. "I love the crunch of the beans, the texture of the cheese, and the flavors of the olive oil," he says. In another presentation, he garnishes it with paper-thin slices of 36-month-aged prosciutto di Parma. "At first encounter with burrata, our customers don't know what it is. But after one bite they fall in love with it," he says. He recommends toasting that newfound love with a Mauro Molino 2004 Barbera d'Alba or a 2003 Rosso Piceno from Tavignano. In Manhattan, Dona executive chef-owner Michael Psilakis imports burrata from Apulia three times per week. He expresses both creativity and simplicity in dishes such as his sea-urchin crudo plated with a dab of burrata, caviar and fava-bean purée, or his reinvented caprese salad, comprising Atlantic halibut poached in olive oil, chorizo sausage slices and heirloom tomatoes served over a half-cut orb of burrata that oozes onto the plate to form a sauce with the tomato water. "For me, burrata is a way of adding cream to a dish without heaviness, but still retaining the buttery, silky flavor. It is another way of interpreting cream." As with traditional cream sauces, "Wines that work best with burrata are usually cold and white, like a Jermann, Vintage Tunini 2004 or an effervescing Cartizze Prosecco from Ruggeri to kick it up a bit," he says. For those seeking American-made products, Gioia Cheese Company, an Italian-style fromagerie based in South El Monte, California, produces an enviable domestic version of burrata. Vito Girardi, Gioia's owner, learned his craft at the family cheese factory founded by his grandfather in 1932 in the Apulian town of Gioia del Colle. Sixty years later, his grandson moved his family to California where he opened his own firm and went to work making handmade cheeses in the Italian tradition. Today he boasts that he is the man who introduced America to burrata, though his version is slightly different than that made in Apulia: "The center of my cheese stays more solid because the cream is coagulated," he explains, "and it is made from pasteurized milk." Every one-pound burrata that Gioia turns out - 2,000 per day - is formed by hand, then air-shipped overnight directly to restaurant clients across the country. Girardi prefers to eat his burrata dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper as a secondo or main course, "after the pasta, just like a steak. But it's up to the chef's fantasy to create something unusual," he says. Piero Selvaggio, owner for the past 34 years of the celebrated Valentino's in Santa Monica (now in Las Vegas, too), is considered the first to introduce California diners in the late 1970s and 1980s to what have now become staples: mozzarella di Bufala, truffles and boutique olive oils. He came across burrata in Apulia 15 years ago. "I was shocked that such a wonderful cheese existed. I had heard of artisan mozzarella and ricotta, but not this. I fell in love with it, just like everyone else," he says. But he was "afraid to take a chance" to import it because it needed to be eaten so quickly. At about the same time, Girardi had just opened Gioia and made a sales call on Selvaggio, who asked the native Apulian if he had ever heard of burrata. Their conversation could not have been more serendipitous. After a few test runs, Girardi was satisfied that he had produced a very respectable burrata, and had resolved Selvaggio's dilemma. Ever since, "In 12 to 14 hours from the time it is made, I have it on a plate," the restaurateur enthuses. "As soon as I put it on the menu, it was a big hit. Today burrata is so popular I don't even need to translate it or even use the word 'cheese.'" > "It's the distinctiveness and quality of each ingredient that counts in good Italian cooking," Selvaggio continues. "I like to serve burrata in a traditional way, on a bed of greens, with greenish tomatoes for crunch, and a sprinkle of olive oil. It is an incredible combination with caviar [too] - it just explodes in the mouth. We also use burrata as a stuffing for tortellini and ravioli, or as a topping for grilled meat. The burrata melts in the flesh and gives it a raw, pure flavor," Selvaggio notes. In addition to his critically appraised cuisine, Selvaggio is well known for the depth of Valentino's wine cellar. He prefers a young Chianti or Barbera with the uncooked cheese. "I like Nero d'Avola from southern Italy with many burrata dishes. Something fruity and supple, like an Argentine Malbec, a soft Merlot, a California Pinot Noir, or even a Dolcetto pairs well, too," he says, adding a cautionary note: "I just avoid wines with a high alcohol content." Tony Mantuano, James Beard 2005 Best Chef of the Midwest and chef-partner at Chicago's Spiaggia restaurant, also buys Gioia's burrata. But he considers the fresh imported cheese far superior, overnighting buffalo milk burrata from the Campania region in Italy twice a week. "The domestic cheese, while excellent, doesn't have the creamy consistency of the imported burrata," he explains. In fact, he is so enthralled with the cheese and its relatives that he plans to open a mozzarella bar in South Beach, Florida, in 2007 called Enoteca Spiaggia, featuring burrata, fior di latte mozzarella and buffalo mozzarella from different producers. "Cheese is fashionable, and mozzarella is the cheese of the moment," Mantuano explains. "You'll be able to build your own plate with a choice of grilled seasonal vegetables, prosciutto, tomatoes or salamis to accompany the mozzarella." Foods and recipes from Enoteca Spiaggia will also appear in a forthcoming cookbook, tentatively titled Wine Bar Food, to be published by Clarkson-Potter in 2007. Meanwhile, at his more casual restaurant in Chicago called Spiaggia Café, he serves the cheese with sliced tomatoes, salt and extra virgin olive oil, but gilds the lily at Spiaggia restaurant by topping it with osetra caviar, chopped chives and extra virgin olive oil. "You can't find a better partner than a Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut with this dish," he notes. Burrata's fresh milk essence makes it a perfect foil for flavorful ingredients like olives, fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto and herbs. "With its mild flavor, mozzarella is adaptable to so many applications," says Campanile and La Brea Bakery veteran Nancy Silverton, who is opening Mozza, an upscale pizzeria in partnership with New York chef Mario Batali, this fall in Los Angeles (a mozzarella bar and osteria will be added later in the year). She found inspiration for the business at Rome's Obika, which she calls "a sushi bar of cheese" devoted entirely to mozzarella (its owners have expanded the concept to Milan and London, and also plan to open in New York and Tokyo). Silverton has been preparing for Mozza by serving mozzarella specialties once a week at Jar, a Los Angeles restaurant owned by former Campanile chef Suzanne Tract, during "Mozzarella Mondays." Silverton orders individual serving-size mozzarella and burrata in 4-ounce balls (ovalini) from Gioia, who delivers them to Jar within hours of their making. Mozzarella Monday's feature burrata served with roasted asparagus, hazelnut and guaniciale (salted and cured pig's jowl and cheek) on the side. Also popular is burricotti (burrata filled with ricotta) served with braised artichoke hearts, pine nuts and currants. Other renditions include burrata with pesto, tapenade, salsa romesco and caper-berry relish. Fresh burrata should be served at room temperature. If it is too cold, the creamy filling becomes solid and lacks that essential lusciousness. Its spectacular, gushing center can be scooped up with slices of crusty bread. Try tossing burrata into warm, drained pasta, such as penne or spaghetti. For a truly unctuous caprese salad, layer burrata with slices of ripe red tomatoes and torn basil leaves, and drizzle with a fine extra virgin Italian olive oil. I first ate burrata with a spoon in Apulia while it was still warm (it was that freshly made), with sweet, ripe pears and salty prosciutto, during a symposium sponsored by Boston-based Oldways Preservation Trust. In Milan, we were served burrata atop a shaved fennel salad flavored with lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for lunch. At a trattoria just outside Folina in the Veneto, a waitress brought a platter of hot, creamy polenta with burrata melting across it enticingly. While home cooks can duplicate these dishes and experiment with other recipes that include burrata, many aficionados feel that the cheese alone is practically perfect. Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author of Flavors of Puglia (now out of print) and Cucina del Sole (Morrow Books, Spring 2007), first tasted burrata in the late 1970s in the Campo di Fiore market in Rome. She fell in love on the spot. "I like it naked on the plate at the beginning of a meal with a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of the best darned Apulian olive oil I can find, and a glass of Severino Garofano's Salice Salentino. The cheese is so rich that only light dishes should follow," she notes. Recreating this simple pairing at home can be done with ease, yet Harmon Jenkins has a better idea: "The best way to eat burrata is to hop on a plane and go straight to Apulia." Food Editor Carole Kotkin manages the Ocean Reef Club Cooking School in Key Largo; is a syndicated columnist for KnightRidder; is co-author of Mmmmiami; and co-hosts Food & Wine Talk on WDNA FM. Burrata with Haricots Verts From Ramon Guerrero of Cioppino 1 4-ounce whole burrata Handful of haricots verts, ends snapped Extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste Diced tomatoes for garnish Place the haricots verts in boiling salted water and cook to desired crunchiness. Transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Drain and dry, then spread haricots verts on middle of plate. Take burrata out of brine and place whole on top of haricots verts. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil lightly over burrata and haricots verts. Garnish with tomatoes. Serves 1 Stracciatella with Celery Leaf Pesto From Nancy Silverton, courtesy of Jar Restaurant 1 pound stracciatella 2 celery stalks, cut thinly on the bias 2 green onions, cut thinly on the bias 1 bunch chervil, leaves only 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only 1 bunch tarragon, chopped Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons olive oil Pinch of salt Celery Leaf Pesto (recipe below) 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs In a large bowl, combine celery, onion, chervil, parsley and tarragon. Toss herbs with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Divide into six bowls. Top each herb salad with 3 ounces of stracciatella. Make a well in the top of the cheese and drizzle with half a tablespoon of the Celery Leaf Pesto. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and serve. Serves 6 For the Celery Leaf Pesto: 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup parsley leaves 1/2 cup celery leaves 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Using a mortar and pestle, mash together garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add parsley and celery leaves, pine nuts and a teaspoon of olive oil. Continue to grind with pestle, gradually adding cheese and olive oil until mixture is well blended. Makes 1 cup. Halibut with Burrata and Tomato Water From Chef Michael Psilakis of Dona 6 large beefsteak tomatoes 11/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 4 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves 3 sprigs thyme 2 shallots, peeled 5 black peppercorns Salt and pepper to taste 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes 1 12-ounce ball of burrata 1 small chunk chorizo 6 6-ounce pieces Atlantic halibut 3 sprigs fresh mint, leaves chopped The day before, pulse beefsteak tomatoes in food processor. Transfer to a strainer lined with cheese cloth and place over a larger bowl to capture tomato water. Leave in refrigerator overnight. Discard purée and reserve water. Preheat oven to 250°. Place 11/2 cups olive oil in a deep pan. Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, shallots, peppercorns and salt. Heat in oven. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score each cherry tomato. Blanch in water quickly and then place in ice bath. Peel tomatoes and reserve in warm place. Cut burrata and distribute evenly on the bottom of 6 pasta bowls. Leave at room temperature. Thinly slice chorizo on a bias. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Brown chorizo and set onto a paper towel to drain; reserve oil. Reheat pan over medium-high heat and sear halibut well on one side only. Transfer halibut to warm infused olive oil in oven and poach for 12 minutes. Remove to paper towel to drain. In a large bowl, season tomatoes with salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and mint. Place halibut pieces over burrata. Divide tomato salad evenly on top of halibut. Spoon chorizo oil over halibut. Warm reserved tomato water and pour it over halibut. Serves 6 - CK

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