1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff, Lauren Boga bam here. It's hard to 3 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: go wrong with either barrata or mozzarella cheese. But while 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: they may look at these Italian cheeses are not one 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: and the same. On the outside, barrata and mozzarella look 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: like simple and soft cow's milk cheeses. Inside barata, though 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: a treasure trove of rich, milky Strachitala cheese a weights. 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: This key cream filled difference stems from the cheesemaking process. 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: We spoke by emailed cookbook author Marissa Mullen. She explained 10 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: the process to make mozzarella and barrata are slightly different. 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: Mozzarella is made by heating and pulling cheese curds in 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: a process called pasta filata. The cheese goes through a 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: stretching process using hot water or whey and is molded 14 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: into small rounds. Barrata, on the other hand, is like 15 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: a cheese within a cheese, with type of creamy milky 16 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: cheese called stratchatella on the inside and mozzarella on the outside. 17 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 1: Malan explained barata is made by using mozzarella cheese stretched 18 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: to include a small pouch that holds fresh cream and 19 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: cheese curd. Because of this, barrata is much richer and 20 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: creamier than a traditional mozzarella. Brata is still relatively new 21 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: to the cheese aisle compared to its counterpart mozzarella, which 22 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: dates back to the twelfth century, when the Italian cheese 23 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: became a staple in southern Italy's Campania region. Barrata, on 24 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: the other hand, first entered the market in nineteen fifty 25 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: six in Puglia, Italy, and we supposedly have a snowstorm 26 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: to thank for this tasty invention. During a heavy snowfall, 27 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: when Lorenzo Bianchino of the Piano Paddle of Farm faced 28 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: difficulties transporting dairy products to customers. His brilliant plan repurposing 29 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: the stretched curds from mozzarella to safely store the cream 30 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: and curds inside gave us the delicious barata cheese we 31 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: have today. While mozzarella and barata can be enjoyed with 32 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: similar dishes like Italian meats, barata isn't simply a creamier 33 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: version of mozzarella, Mullen said. Since Barata's texture is more buttery, 34 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: it goes beautifully paired with crastini or fresh bread. I 35 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 1: also like to serve barata with olive oil or a 36 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: balsamic vinegar to blend with the flavor of the inner cream. 37 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: Because barata and mozzarella are fresh cheeses, they blend nicely 38 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: with other fresh items. I love to add toppings to 39 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: the barata, such as olives, tomatoes, fresh figs, and peaches. 40 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: Barata can also add a dash more richness to beloved 41 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: mozzarella dishes. Mullen said, you can interchange barata and mozzarella 42 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: with a variety of pairings, but you'll have to be 43 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 1: prepared for the textural differences. Barata does not shred like mozzarella, 44 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: holds far more liquid and has much more of a 45 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: creamy flavor. If you're down with the decadence, add bratta 46 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: to a pizza, to a salad, or even on a sandwich. 47 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: With all that cream, it's not surprising the barata, like 48 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: most cheeses, is quite calorie dance. One out serving that's 49 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: about twenty eight grams contains about a hundred calories, mostly 50 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: from fat. It contains four grams of saturated fat, which 51 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: is about of the daily recommended intake for the average 52 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: adult of course, that's not to say you shouldn't eat it. 53 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: Fats are important in your diet for a lot of reasons, 54 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: and foods that contain it help keep you going. Plus, 55 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: like most cheeses, it's a great source of micronutrients like 56 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: vitamin A and calcium. Just watch your portion sizes. As 57 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: Julia Child said, everything in moderation, including moderation. Today's episode 58 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: was written by Stephanie Vermilion and produced by Tyler Clang. 59 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: For more on this and lots of other cheesy topics, 60 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: visit houstuffworks dot com. Brain Stuff is production of I 61 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the 62 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 63 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.