The Only 2 Ingredients You Need To Form Homemade Burrata Cheese

Fresh, rich, creamy burrata is often a favorite of cheese lovers dining out at Italian restaurants or other high-end spots. But few foodies know they can whip up this delicious treat at home with just two ingredients: cheese curds and heavy cream. 

To make your own burrata, you first need to buy some fresh cow's milk cheese curds, which can be purchased online, from specialty food stores, or even some dairies. This saves at-home cheesemakers the time and energy of using rennet or other coagulating substances to create their own. Then, heavy cream can be used as-is. While not true ingredients per se, the process also requires water and salt. You can opt for special salts geared specifically for cheesemaking, though any non-iodized version like kosher or sea salt will work. 

Once you've assembled your ingredients, the process is as simple as placing the curds in a bowl with boiling, salted water and combining them with a spoon or your hands as they soften. Continue this process, replacing the water as it cools with fresh, hot, salted water until a silky, pliable texture develops. From here, the process simply involves tearing the cheese into pieces and soaking it in the heavy cream to create the burrata filling, known as stracciatella. The first steps (up to the tearing) are then repeated to form the mozzarella shell that holds the filling.

Burrata (or its components of fresh mozzarella and stracciatella) can last up to five days in the fridge, though to get the best taste and texture, it's typically better fresh. However, with the ability to scale up or down the size for various dining needs, there's little excuse for not eating it all right away or leaving minimal leftovers.

Now that you know how to make it, it's important you know the right way to eat burrata cheese, too. Bring your homemade burrata cheese to room temperature prior to serving it with a variety of foods, including fresh tomatoes, basil, and even a bit of balsamic glaze drizzled right on top. Don't forget a hearty bread to soak up the filling.

And burrata isn't the only easy Italian cheese that even amateur cooks can prepare perfectly in their home kitchens. Crafting from-scratch ricotta just requires milk, lemon juice, and salt, making it almost as easy as burrata. Both are excellent starting points for cheese lovers who want to make the jump into producing their own.