Bocconcini (; singular , "small mouthful") are small

mozzarella Mozzarella (, ; nap, muzzarella ) is a southern Italian cheese traditionally made from Italian buffalo's milk by the pasta filata method. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but when seasoned it turns to a light yellow depending on the anim ...

cheese balls. Like other mozzarellas, they are semi-soft, white, and rindless unripened mild

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

s that originated in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

and were once made only from the

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...

water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called the domestic water buffalo or Asian water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found in Europe, Australia, North America, So ...

. Nowadays, they are usually made from a combination of

and

cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...

's milk. Bocconcini are packaged in

whey Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of hard ...

or water, have a spongy texture, and absorb flavors. It is made in the ''

pasta filata (Italian: "spun paste") is a technique in the manufacture of a family of Italian cheeses also known in English as stretched-curd, pulled-curd, and plastic-curd cheeses. Stretched curd cheeses manufactured from the pasta filata technique undergo ...

'' manner by dipping curds into hot whey, and kneading, pulling, and stretching. Each cheese is about the size, shape, and color of a hardboiled egg: indeed, an alternative name used is , or "Buffalo eggs". Baby (''bambini'') bocconcini can also be purchased; these are a smaller version, about the size of large grapes or cherries. This smaller version is also known as ''ciliegine'' (''small cherries''). Bocconcini of water buffalo's milk are still produced in the provinces of

Caserta Caserta () is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Camp ...

, and

Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...

, as ''bocconcini alla panna di bufala'', in a process that involves mixing freshly made Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP with fresh cream. A ''Bocconcino di Bufala Campana DOP'' is also made, which is simply Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, produced in the egg-sized format. Bocconcini of whole cow's milk are also manufactured, in which the higher liquid content, in comparison to standard mozzarella, lends them the soft consistency of '' fior di latte''. Bocconcini can be bought at most Italian supermarkets. They are often used in

caprese salad Caprese salad ( it, insalata caprese or simply ''caprese'') is an Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice. Like pizza ...

, or served to accompany pasta.

References

External links

How to Make Bocconcini - Illustrated Step By Step.
Cow's-milk cheeses Water buffalo's-milk cheeses Italian cheeses Neapolitan cuisine Stretched-curd cheeses {{cheese-stub

See also

References

External links