For foodies like me, burrata is the new Brie. I'm over the moon about it. Just like I was when I discovered Brie back in the '70s. Remember the first time you cut into the rind of a really ripe Brie de Meaux and the cheese oozed all over the plate? Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong. I still like a rich, sumptuous triple cream brie, but I'm always interested in finding lighter cheeses to serve as appetizers rather than ones that work best as part of a cheese plate as Brie does.
If you don't know about burrata, it originated in Italy as a way to use up the extra curds left over after making mozzarella. While warm, a piece of regular mozzarella is formed into a purse or pouch Twhich is then wrapped around a mixture of left over mozzarella curds, called "stracciatella" or "little rags" in Italian. The little rags are mixed with fresh heavy cream.
The pouch is then gathered together and knotted at the top. When you cut into it, the creamy filling spills out like lava from of the outer layer. The result is delicate and milky. In your mouth it feels sumptuous, like velvet. Not quite as liquid as a molten chocolate cake but you get the idea.
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