This deliciously creamy cheese, pronounced boor-RAH-tah, is a specialty of Southern Italy, especially the regions of Aupulia, Campania, and Basilicata.  

Burrata was invented in Andria at the beginning of the 20th century. Traditionally made from buffalo's milk, today most burrata is made from cow's milk. Classified as a "spun" or "pulled curd" cheese, burrata's uniqueness lies in the buttery texture of the cheese's center:  "Burro" means butter in Italian.

The outside of these decadent balls is a wrapped skin made from stretched sheets of mozzarella paste.  The mozzarella paste is stretched into rectangles 3 x 5-inches and air is blown into it to make a sac. This gives the exterior a soft, springy texture.  The soft, buttery center is made from fresh cream and shredded pieces of mozzarella called stracciatella. The sac is then tied with a blade of grass and has the shape of a chubby pear.  When you bite or cut into burrata, the cream oozes out irresistibly.  It is as though you are taste three different textures and flavors all at once - the sweetness of the cream, the shedded mozzarella with a touch of acidity, and the more complex and cheesy outer layer.