History

Buffalo mozzarella in Campania is documented from the 12th century, when Cistercian monks near Capua raised water buffalo; the cheese received DOP status in 1996. The heartland is the plains between Caserta, Salerno and Paestum, and the direct-sale farms in Paestum (Tenuta Vannulo, Barlotti) allow visitors to buy and eat the cheese within an hour of it leaving the vat.

Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Makes 4 mozzarella balls of 125g eachHands-on 45 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 2 litres fresh whole buffalo milk (or a 50/50 blend of buffalo and cow's milk)
  • 2g citric acid dissolved in 50ml cold water
  • 0.25g liquid rennet diluted in 50ml cold water
  • 30g fine sea salt per litre of brine
  • Thermometer, cheese cloth

Method

  1. Warm milk to 32 degrees Celsius. Add citric acid solution and stir gently. Add rennet, stir for 30 seconds and leave undisturbed for 30 to 40 minutes until a firm curd forms.
  2. Cut the curd into 2cm cubes with a long knife. Let rest 5 minutes, then slowly warm to 40 degrees Celsius over 15 minutes, gently stirring. The curds will contract and expel whey.
  3. Drain curds into a colander lined with cheese cloth. Press gently. Let drain for 30 minutes.
  4. Bring a pot of water to 85 to 90 degrees Celsius. Stretch the curd: add a fist-sized piece to the hot water and knead with gloved hands or spoons until it becomes smooth, glossy and elastic (about 2 minutes). Do not overwork.
  5. Pinch off balls of about 125g each, rolling smooth. Drop immediately into a bowl of cold salted brine.
  6. Let rest in brine for 30 minutes before eating. Best at room temperature.

Tip from the editors. Temperature control is everything; underheated curd will not stretch and overheated curd will granulate. A thermometer is not optional.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat mozzarella di bufala campana dop

Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP in Naples

Mercato della Pignasecca ★ 4.7

centro-storicoDaily 08:00-19:00

Pignasecca in Naples' Montesanto district is the city's oldest street market (operating since the 17th century), a chaotic grid of fish stalls, cheese vendors and friggitorie, the daily shopping ground for the Quartieri Spagnoli.

Tip: Arrive by 09:30 for the best fish selection. The friggitorie on the south side sell cuoppo di mare (mixed seafood in a paper cone) from midday.

Piazza Pignasecca 3, 80134 Napoli

Mercato del Pesce di Porta Nolana ★ 4.6

centro-storicoTue-Sat 08:00-14:00, Sun 09:00-13:00, closed Monday

Porta Nolana fish market in Naples has sold fresh catch from the Bay of Naples since the 15th century, the city's principal wholesale and retail seafood counter, with anchovies, clams and octopus the standout purchases.

Tip: Closed Monday. Buy anchovies and clams for same-day cooking; the stalls restock at dawn and wind down by 13:00.

Via Cesare Carmignano, 80142 Napoli

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