So many people have been talking about burrata lately - it appeared at the Cowgirl Creamery at the Ferry Plaza, and on the menu at A16; the Chronicle did a write-up on it, and now all of San Francisco is buzzing about this Italian delicacy. What can I say? We've been making it in-house at the Franciscan for about six months now, and I recently decided to add it to the menu at Bobo's, too, so if you're in the Bay Area, you have more places than ever to discover this delicious cheese.
If you haven't tried it yet, let me tell you: you're going to love it. The name "burrata" comes from the Italian word "burro", meaning butter, and it is so named because it is silky and creamy and utterly decadent. All of those adjectives generally mean "sexy" to me, so what better place to tell you how to make burrata than here at Sex and the Kitchen?
Making your own burrata is a lovely Sunday afternoon task that two people can accomplish with ease. Your mission is to melt down a hunk of mozzarella curd to form a smooth, slippery mass, then stretch it out and dab the middle of each square piece with a creamy cheese mixture, as if you were making ravioli. You then fold each curd "square" over the cheese inside to create an individual burrata. To make it even simpler, I've created a pictorial step-by-step guide for you.
Read through the ingredient list below, and then make a date to get it done... Have fun!
Burrata
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella curd
- Sea Salt
- 12 ounces of soft cheeses for filling; use mascarpone for a thick, butter-like filling, or mix two or three cheeses together for more depth of flavor. You might try a blend of ricotta, mascarpone and fromage blanc, or whatever suits your fancy. This is the fun part!
- Basil oil
- Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Follow the directions in the pictorial guide. When your cheeses have cooled in the ice bath for at least 10 minutes, place one of them on a serving plate. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange cherry tomato halves around the outside and garnish with basil leaves. Eat immediately, preferably with someone that you're all hot and bothered over. There's nothing sexier than sharing a plate of freshly-made cheese!
Burrata is best when it is consumed within a day or two after it is made, so go ahead! Indulge...
Where to find Mozzarella Curd
If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you can find mozarella curd at Andronico's or Rainbow Grocery. We tried locating it at other places, including the Cowgirl Creamery and Whole Foods, without success; however, if you flirt with the cheese guy at your local market, you just might be able to convince him to special-order it for you.
Great posting! Especially the mouth-watering photos.
Posted by: Nadia | June 20, 2006 at 12:07 PM
Wow, I just discovered burrata - it never even occured to me to try my hand at actually making it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I think you've just provided me with my next weekend project!
Posted by: Geneve | June 25, 2006 at 08:06 PM
is this hard to make?
Posted by: valerie | October 25, 2006 at 09:56 PM
Great post! Thanks!
Posted by: Philip | February 13, 2007 at 04:48 PM
My new love affair with this cheese from heaven began at Trattoria del Arte in New York City. I ordered it by accident and now would drive 4 hours there and back just for my FIX! I can not believe that you just shared how to make it. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and my doctor has other sentiments. Hee Hee can't wait to try my hand at this. I will become a goddess if I can actually make it work! I'll let ya know.
Erica-
Posted by: Erica | June 11, 2007 at 11:17 AM
I've started making my own mozzarella and now planning to try Burrata. Is there any reason I can't use my own mozzarella curd for this? Do you know what stage of of cheese-making the store-bought "curd" is at so I can adjust my recipe? Ie. Is it just the curds before heating and stretching?
Thanks so much for the recipe: I'm really fired up to try making it for my home use!
Deb Hall
Owner
Gourmet For Everyone
Louisville, KY
Posted by: Deb in KY | July 02, 2007 at 12:43 PM
It is just like yours, minus the snacks in rooms. We each go to our beds and read or look at books, they may play something quietly on their bed or they may rest. After one hour, it seems we are refreshed and restored and happy to see each other!
Posted by: viagra online | August 25, 2010 at 02:13 PM
I can't believe you share just how to do it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and my doctor has other feelings. Hee cannot wait to try my instead.
Posted by: Kitchen unit | February 22, 2011 at 09:35 AM