Mozzarella: what is it and how is it cooked
Before you learn the recipes, study the product fromwhich you are going to cook different dishes. Mozzarella comes from Italy, where it was traditionally made from buffalo milk. But later they began to use regular cow's milk, which is more accessible and widespread. This product is most often sold in the form of balls of different sizes, soaked in salt brine. This cheese does not last long, but this is not necessary, since it is very tasty and quickly eaten. Mozzarella is produced in this way: at the first stage, whole milk is fermented with a thermophilic lactic acid culture, and then curdled due to rennet. After this, the mass is heated, the whey is separated. And the remaining composition is mixed until the desired homogeneous elastic consistency is achieved. Periodically, this mass is heated, then cut into pieces, from which balls are formed. And these balls for storage are placed in a salt composition, which extends the shelf life.
Hot dishes from mozzarella
We offer recipes for hot dishes made from mozzarella cheese. Chicken meatballs with mozzarella. For cooking you will need:
- 300 g of chicken breast,
- 100 grams of mozzarella,
- 1 egg,
- 2 pieces of white bread (or rather a loaf),
- 30 ml of cream,
- 50-70 g of breadcrumbs,
- 2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil for frying.
So, first prepare the minced meat.To do this, mince the chicken fillet. Soak the bun briefly (until it softens) in cream, then mix it with the minced meat and the egg. Now form a flat cake from the minced meat, in the center of which place a ball of mozzarella. Then form a ball and roll it in breadcrumbs. Do the same with the rest of the minced meat. Fry the meatballs in heated vegetable oil until golden brown. If desired, you can bake them, it will be even better. Done! Potato casserole with mozzarella To prepare this dish you will need:
- 700 g of young potatoes,
- 4 tomatoes,
- 4 bunches of basil greens,
- 4 cloves garlic,
- 250-350 g of mozzarella cheese,
- 2-3 tbsp. spoons of olive oil,
- salt to taste.
Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes.Grease the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil. Finely chop the basil, crush the garlic in a blender or with a garlic press. Now mix the potatoes with salt, garlic and basil (leave some) and lay it in an even layer on the baking sheet. Put it all in the oven for 30 minutes, preheated to 180 degrees. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes into thin rings and grate the mozzarella. Now put the tomatoes on the potatoes, then sprinkle everything with mozzarella and basil. Bake the dish for another 10-15 minutes until fully cooked, then serve.
Salads with mozzarella cheese
Salad recipes with this cheese will also please any gourmet. Caprese salad with ham To prepare it you need:
- 300 grams of cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes,
- 250-300 g of mozzarella cheese,
- 200 grams of ham,
- 50 ml of olive oil,
- 2 bunches of basil greens,
- 10 ml of balsamic vinegar (you can do without it or replace it with ordinary apple),
- salt and pepper to taste.
First, prepare all the ingredients.Cut the tomatoes into cubes or slices. Cut the mozzarella in the same way (in any chosen way). Simply tear or chop the basil (not finely). Cut the ham into small cubes. Now mix all the ingredients and season the salad with salt and vinegar, do not forget to add salt and pepper. It is ready to serve. Meat and vegetable salad with mozzarella Take the following ingredients:
- 400 grams of meat (you can take half a beef, half a lean pork),
- 1 sweet Bulgarian pepper,
- 3 cloves garlic,
- 1 fresh cucumber,
- 2 tomatoes,
- 200 grams of mozzarella,
- 50 ml of olive oil,
- 3 tbsp. spoonful of wine vinegar,
- 2 tbsp. spoons of hot ketchup,
- 1 red onion,
- 1 bunch of basil greens,
- 70-80 grams of lettuce leaves.
The meat needs to be chopped into pieces and grated with oneclove of garlic and grill. If you don’t have a grill, wrap the meat in foil, rub it with garlic, and bake it in the oven, then cut it. Dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers (remove the seeds and core), and cut the mozzarella in the same way. Cut the red onion into thin half rings. Just tear the salad. Mix all the ingredients. Now make the sauce. Mix the olive oil, chili sauce, and vinegar, adding salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and finely chopped basil. Now season the mixture with this sauce and mix everything well. The salad is ready, you can serve it. Enjoy!
Baking with mozzarella
There are many delicious baked goods using mozzarella. You can see the best recipes below. Pies with mozzarella and salami To prepare such savory pies you will need:
- 500 g ready puff pastry (if you want, you can cook it yourself),
- 100 grams of salami,
- 250 grams of mozzarella,
- 2 bunches of basil greens,
- 200 g of cherry tomatoes,
- 2 eggs,
- 1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil,
- 1 clove of garlic.
Tomatoes need to be placed on a greased baking sheet.baking sheet and sprinkle them with oil on top as well. Put them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, preheated to 160-170 degrees. The tomatoes should be soft, but not falling apart. Cut the salami into strips and chop the basil. The mozzarella cheese should be grated on a coarse grater or cut into thin circles. The garlic should either be chopped very finely or passed through a garlic press. Roll out the dough into a layer, divide this layer into medium-sized rectangles (approximately 20x10 cm). First put the salami in the center of each rectangle, then the tomatoes (it is better to cut them into rings), and then the grated cheese and herbs with garlic. Secure the edges of the dough, forming a kind of envelope. Beat the egg, coat each pie with it. Line the bottom of the baking dish with parchment, greasing it with olive oil. Place the pies and put the baking tray in the oven, preheated to 170 degrees, for about 20-30 minutes. Done! In conclusion, it remains only to add that there are other recipes using this tender and soft cheese. Or you can come up with something of your own and experiment. Delight your family with new dishes!
