Burrata’s soft exterior and creamy interior gives an upscale authority to modern menus
Produced in the United States and Italy, Burrata is a cow’s milk cheese with a unique and unrivaled texture. It is made by dipping fresh curd into hot whey, then stretching and kneading to reach a soft, pliable state. It is then filled with fresh mozzarella curd and cream, which deliciously escapes from its shell when the cheese is cut.
Burrata can be the star of the show on a small-plate menu. Simply serve it with prosciutto, basil and some olive oil. Or it can elevate the texture and flavor profile of your pizzas, not to mention give them an upscale reputation.
At Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, our very own Tony Gemignani (see his column on using beer in your pizza dough) even uses it on a burger. The “Burrata Burger” features beef, smoked pancetta, caramelized onions, burrata, arugula and a balsamic reduction. It’s served with sea-salted rosemary garlic fries.
Back in the pizza realm, Tony’s “Burratina di Margherita” was a Gold Cup winner at the 2008 International Pizza Championships in Lecce, Italy. This pie showcases burrata and cherry tomatoes tossed with fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic reduction. He menus it for $36.
Is it time to give burrata a try with your customer base? Here are three stellar pizza recipes to get you started.
Balsamic Burrata & Olive Oil Caviar Pizza
Recipe courtesy of Doug Ferriman, Crazy Dough’s Pizza, Boston, Massachussetts
<< Get the Balsamic Burrata & Olive Oil Caviar Pizza recipe now. >>
Fennel Sausage & Burrata Pizza
Arugula, Prosciutto & Burrata Pizza
<< Get the Arugula, Prosciutto & Burrata Pizza recipe now. >>
Jeremy White is a editor-in-chief of Pizza Today.
