For us, a trip to Campania is not complete without a stop at a dairy, with a still-warm buffalo mozzarella to tear open with your hands. The milk running out, the glossy skin, the intense aroma: it is one of those flavours that make you remember a place. Here is what lies behind the designation and how to enjoy it at its best.
A DOP since 1996
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is a Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) recognised by the European Union in 1996. The production rules state that it may only be made with fresh buffalo milk from the Italian Mediterranean breed, within the protected area.
Despite the name, the production area is not only in Campania. It includes the provinces of Caserta and Salerno and parts of those of Naples and Benevento, but also areas of Lazio (Latina, Frosinone, Rome), Apulia (Foggia) and Molise (Venafro, in the province of Isernia). Its historic heart, however, remains Campania, with the Volturno plain and the Sele plain.
A little history
Buffaloes have been present in southern Italy for many centuries, and the marshy plains of the Volturno and the Sele were the ideal environment for raising them. The name "mozzarella" comes from the action of mozzare, cutting off the stretched curd by hand, still typical of how it is made today. Records of its production become more frequent between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when the Bourbons too took an interest in buffalo farming, as on the royal estate of Carditello.
Shapes, weights and types
The classic shape is round, but the production rules also allow other typical shapes: bocconcini, plaits, pearls, cherries, knots and ovoline (small eggs). According to the rules the weight ranges from 10 to 800 grams depending on the shape, while plaits can reach 3 kilos. There is also a smoked version, which must state this on the label.
When buying, check the packaging for the full name of the designation and the DOP logo: it is the guarantee that the product complies with the production rules.
How to store and enjoy it
The most common advice, which we are happy to pass on, is not to put it in the fridge if you are eating it the same day. If you need to keep it, store it in its brine, in a container, and take it out of the fridge in good time so that it returns to room temperature before you eat it.
The best way to enjoy it is on its own, perhaps with a drizzle of oil and a few tomatoes. In the kitchen it is the star of pizza, caprese and many traditional dishes: for cooking, it is best to let it drain for a few hours.
Where to taste it and nearby
The places to stop are the farming areas: in the province of Caserta around Caserta, Mondragone and Castel Volturno, and on the Sele plain between Battipaglia, Eboli and Capaccio Paestum, where a visit to the dairies goes well with a visit to Paestum and its temples. Read also our articles on caprese, on mozzarella in carrozza and on Ricotta di Bufala Campana, and for the full picture our guide to Campania's DOP and IGP products.
Sources: Qualigeo – Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP; Consorzio di Tutela Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP.
Top photo (Caserta): Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
