The distinctive elements of this DOP fresh stretched curd cheese are manifested above all through the quality of the raw material used: fresh buffalo milk, characterized by a high fat and protein content. The typicality is also accentuated by the stretching process, an artisanal operation which consists of manually working the cheese paste with boiling water at the end of maturation. This process, known as "spinning", gives the mozzarella its distinctive consistency and the characteristic "bouquet", influenced by the specific microflora that develops during the different processing phases.
The stretching takes place with the aid of a ladle and a stick, both made of wood, continuously lifting and pulling the melted dough to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Subsequently, we proceed with the shaping, often still performed manually through the traditional "mozzatura", carried out by the cheesemaker with the thumb and forefinger of the hand. The mozzarella thus obtained is then left to cool in tanks containing cold water and then salted.
The very thin rind has a porcelain white colour, while the paste, without holes, is slightly elastic in the first eight to ten hours after production, becoming progressively meltier over time. The production specification, in addition to providing for the classic rounded shapes, contemplates various commercial typologies such as bocconcini, cherries, beads, knots, ovolini and the renowned "braids". The weight varies depending on the shape, ranging between 10 and 800 grams (3 kg for braids). Smoking, an ancient and traditional natural manufacturing process, is also permitted, with the condition that the designation of origin is followed by the words "smoked". On average, 4.2 liters of buffalo milk are needed to produce one kilogram of mozzarella.
Background:
The origins of this cheese are linked to the introduction of buffalo in Italy. There are various hypotheses about the time of introduction of the buffalo, originally from eastern India, into Italy. Some maintain that the Italian buffalo is indigenous, while others attribute its introduction to the invasion of the Lombards or to the Norman kings around the year 1000. The first documented evidence of the presence of the buffalo in Italy dates back to the 12th-13th century AD, especially after the swamping of the lower Tyrrhenian side. The term "Mozzarella" derives from the verb "to mozzare", in reference to the shaping operation traditionally practiced by hand. The word appears for the first time in a cooking text cited by a chef of the papal court in the 16th century. However, already in the 12th century, the monks of the monastery of S. Lorenzo in Capua offered a "mozza or provatura" accompanied by a piece of bread during the feast of the patron saint. In the 18th century, the Bourbons dedicated themselves to buffalo breeding, establishing a dairy on the royal estate of Carditello. Ancient buffalo farms, surrounded by circular walls with fireplaces in the center for milk processing, are still present in the Volturno and Sele plains.
Production Area:
In recent decades, the buffalo herd in the production area has significantly increased, supporting the development of the entire dairy supply chain. Currently, the buffalo herd is around 250,000 heads, distributed across 1850 farms, with 80% concentrated in Campania and the remaining 20% in lower Lazio, Puglia and Molise. On average, around 33,000 tonnes of PDO Campanian buffalo mozzarella are produced per year, with a constant increase over the past decade. The sector's turnover stands at around 400 million euros, with a 5% annual increase in exports. Approximately 18% of DOP mozzarella is sold abroad, contributing significantly to the region's economy. National consumption shows positive growth with an annual increase of approximately 10%.
