Burrata

Lore & Background

Burrata is a dairy product of Murgia, in Puglia in southern Italy. It is produced from cow's milk, rennet, and cream, and may have origins dating back to about 1900, produced at the Bianchino brothers' (Lorenzo and Vincenzo) farm in the town of Andria. More recent records have shown that Lorenzo Bianchino, of the Piana Padura farm, first developed the product in 1956.

The dish was born out of a need to minimise food waste in the 1920s. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and clotted cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. Established as an artisanal cheese, burrata maintained its premium-product status even after it began to be made commercially in factories throughout Puglia.

Production starts much like mozzarella, with rennet used to curdle warm milk. The fresh mozzarella curds are plunged into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneaded, and pulled to develop stretchy strings (pasta filata), then shaped. The still-hot cheese is formed into a pouch, filled with scraps of leftover mozzarella and fresh cream, then closed. Traditionally, it is wrapped in asphodel leaves, tied to form a brioche-like topknot, and moistened with whey.

Reader's Guide

Burrata holds significance as a distinctive Italian cheese that evolved from practical necessity—minimizing food waste in the 1920s Apulia region—into a premium artisanal product. Its unique structure, with a solid mozzarella shell encasing stracciatella and clotted cream, sets it apart from other pasta filata cheeses. The cheese's origins are tied to the Bianchino brothers' farm in Andria, though records show uncertainty between an early 1900s development and a more specific 1956 creation by Lorenzo Bianchino. Burrata's legacy is reinforced by its 2016 PGI status for 'Burrata di Andria,' requiring all production steps to occur within Puglia. Despite commercial factory production, it retains its premium status. Its perishable nature—it does not keep well even when refrigerated—underscores the importance of freshness. The traditional wrapping in asphodel leaves and whey moistening reflect its artisanal roots. Burrata remains a celebrated speciality of southern Italy, valued for its soft texture and rich flavor.

Did You Know?

• Burrata originated in the Apulia region of Italy in the 1920s as a way to minimize food waste.
• The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and clotted cream.
• Burrata di Andria became a protected geographical indication (PGI) product in November 2016.
• The finished burrata is traditionally wrapped in the leaves of asphodel and moistened with whey.