Baked Scamorza

Scamorza cheese

Scamorza is an Italian, semi-soft white cheese with a texture comparable to that of a firm, dry Mozzarella. It is shaped like a little round ball tied at the top. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk. At the end of the cheese making process, the cheese is tied and hung by string to ripen for about two weeks, then smoked over flaming straw for around 10 to 15 minutes which adds a subtle, smoky flavour with a sweet, light caramel note. The texture of scamorza is elastic, stringy and has less moisture than Mozzarella. In addition, the flavour is more piquant, milky and creamy. scamorza can be substituted for mozzarella in most dishes, but the resulting taste will be much stronger and more dominant. It is reputed to melt better in baking. 

How to use Scamorza

Melted on a burger or sliced on an antipasto platter, scamorza comes into its own. A mild and straightforward cheese, it doesn't offer much in the way of complexity but it's an appealing alternative to mozzarella in some dishes. You can substitute it for mozzarella in eggplant and tomato recipes or in lasagna for a smoky background note; a grilled cheese sandwich with smoked scamorza would be sublime.

The recipe... Baked Scamorza

Ingredients (Servings 2)

• 500 g  scamorza

• 1-day-old ciabatta or small sourdough loaf

• 4 thin slices of Parma ham

  For the rocket (arugula) salad:

• 100 g (1 cup) rocket salad

• 1 teaspoons roughly chopped cilantro

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 pinch ground black pepper

• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in flakes

Preparation

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Slice the bread and place it in two individual ovenproof dishes (small cast iron, terracotta or other ovenproof dish), place the Scamorza sliced on the top and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

In the meantime, toss arugula and cilantro together in a large salad bowl. Drizzle arugula mixture with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; toss salad again. If desired, add more olive oil, balsamic vinegar and black pepper to taste. Remove the scamorza from the oven and place a couple of slices of Parma ham thin sliced. Add the arugula and some fresh flakes of Parmigiano Reggiano on the top.

Borgovivo's suggestions for a perfect baked scamorza

18767 Smoked scamorza Consilia 250 g.

Scamorza affumicata Consilia