Top 4 Campanian Water Buffalo's Milk Cheeses

Caseificio Barlotti is a family-run dairy with a rich tradition dating back to the early 1900s, located in Paestum, in the Campania region of Italy. The Barlotti family has been raising buffalo and producing dairy products for five generations. This artisanal cheese producer uses milk from their own herd of Italian Mediterranean buffalo, ensuring control over the entire production process from feeding the buffalo to cheese making. Caseificio Barlotti is best known for its Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, but also offers a wide range of other buffalo milk products. Visitors can enjoy guided tours of the farm and production facilities, as well as tastings of their fresh products.Expand

Though there are many buffalo mozzarella cheeses made with a combination of buffalo and cow's milk, to be labeled as such, the genuine mozzarella di bufala campana must be made from 100% domestic water buffalo milk and produced either in Campania or the neighboring Lazio, Apulia and Molise regions. Buffalo milk is known to be higher in calcium and protein while lower in cholesterol, which makes this mozzarella cheese particularly prized and sought after. Buffalo mozzarella always comes packaged in brine; it has a mild yet slightly sour taste, and goes well with various Italian antipasti dishes, especially with classics like the Caprese salad.Expand

Ricotta di Bufala Campana is a product obtained through the processing of the 'first whey' (sweet) obtained in the cheese-making process which uses milk from the Mediterranea Italiana buffalo breed. The production area is within the provinces of Benevento, Caserta, Naples and Salerno in Campania; the provinces of Frosinone, Latina and Rome in the Lazio region; the Province of Foggia in the Apulia region and Isernia in the Molise region. Since the arrival of buffalo in Southern Italy in the XVI century, the production of Ricotta di Bufala Campana and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana has been very closely linked. Ricotta di Bufala Campana is different from other ricotta cheeses due to its creamy consistency, softness, color and sweet milky aromas, characteristics which are given to the fact that buffalo whey is richer in fats and free from lipase, an enzyme that can influence the sensory properties of fat. The ricotta is porcelain white, rindless, with a grainy but not sandy consistency that is soft and creamy. The flavor is characteristic, fresh and slightly sweet, whilst the aroma is reminiscent of milk and cream. It can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in many recipes and stuffed dishes. The product is generally used to prepare local sweet and savory dishes from the Neapolitan cuisine. Amongst the most famous recipes, there is the Pastiera Napoletana, a typical Easter cake.Expand

Bocconcini is an Italian cheese originating from Campania. It is a mozzarella-type cheese that is roughly the size of an egg, made with water buffalo's milk or a combination of buffalo's and cow's milk. These rindless small balls are semi-soft, creamy, elastic and springy in texture, while the flavors are mild, buttery, and slightly sweet. The name bocconcini means little bites in Italian, referring to the shape and form of the cheese. It is recommended to consume it fresh or use it on pizzas or vegetable-based dishes. Pair it with white wines.Expand

Barilotto is an Italian cheese hailing from Campania, where it's produced by Casa Madaio in Cilento. The cheese is made from water buffalo's milk by heating the whey derived from the production of mozzarella di bufala. It's usually left to age for at least 40 days before consumption. Underneath its washed rind, the texture is hard, smooth, and firm. The aromas are delicate, fresh, and buttery, while the flavors are creamy and mild. It's recommended to serve Barilotto with honey or jelly due to the subtle sweetness of the cheese.Expand