Trendy burrata might seem like something you need to order at a specialty store or restaurant, but you can actually learn how to make burrata—the beloved stuffed mozzarella—at home.
Instructions
1
Prep the curd for stretching
2
In a heatproof bowl, add 1/4 pound of fresh mozzarella curd, along with enough boiling water to cover the curd and a generous amount of salt. Stir and press curds together until they begin forming a solid mass. Monitor the water to make sure it doesn't get too cool. If you can leave your hands in it comfortably, it's too cool—add more hot water. Once the curds have massed, put on gloves (or dip your hands frequently in cold water) and begin stretching and folding the curd. Keep going until the curd is smooth, glossy and doesn't have any tears. Editor's Tip: Salt the mozzarella water as though you were salting pasta water. It should be about as salty as the ocean. Also, if you don't think you have enough boiling water remaining to stretch the rest of the curd, get another batch going.
3
Make the stracciatella filling
4
Pull the mass of curds into a long rope, then tear the rope into strings or pieces. Put these pieces in a small bowl and add the cream and salt to taste. Set the bowl aside.
5
Shape the burrata shell
6
Add the remaining mozzarella curd (1/2 pound) to your bowl, along with more boiling water and salt. Follow the same instructions as above until the curds are smooth and glossy. This time, instead of pulling the mass into a rope, form a 6-inch disk that is thicker in the middle and a bit thinner on the edges. If the cheese rips at any point, just plunge it back into the hot water and reshape.
7
Form the burrata
8
The easiest way to stuff burrata is to put the mozzarella disk in a small, deep bowl. Spoon the creamy stracciatella filling into the center, then pull up the sides of the mozzarella shell until they meet at the top. Pinch tightly to seal. Dipping the pinched end back in the hot water will help seal the cheese.
