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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2015 Food 35 Fine food of the week THE south of Italy is famous for its Scamor- za cheese. From the mozzarella family, the semi-soft white cheese, which is similar to a provolone in shape, is made throughout Apulia and in some parts of Campania and Molise. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk or from a mixture of cow and sheep milk. The Scamorza made in Bari is made primarily with sheep's milk. The process by which it is made involves stretching and moulding the curd that has been ripened for about 24 hours. The future cheese is then cooled in cold water and put in a brine bath for a period that varies according to the weight of the indi- vidual cheese. The process of stretching the curd and allowing it mature in its own whey allows the acidity to develop by the process of lactose being converted to lactic acid. The end result is drier than mozzarel- la, but is equally as smooth and shiny in texture. At the end of the cheese making process, the cheeses are hanged together in strings to ripen for about two weeks. The process of ripening the cheese has given Scamorza its name, which in south- ern Italy means 'beheaded'. After two weeks of ripening, the cheese is sold as it is or smoked. The smoked vari- ant, called Scamorzi Affumicate, is made by smoking the cheese over f laming straw for around 10 to 15 minutes. A fresh ver- sion of Scamorza is also sold within a few days of production. The texture of Scamorza is elastic, stringy and has less moisture than moz- zarella. In addition, the f lavor is more piquant, milky and creamy. Smoked Scamorza has a subtle, smoky f lavor with a sweet, light caramel note. Scamorza is used as a substitute for mozzarella as it imparts more interest in the recipe. Since Scamorza has excellent melting qualities, it is best known to f la- vor baking dishes, for griddling or topped with prosciutto for extra zest. The smoky f lavor of Scamorza pairs well with oak- aged Chardonnay, Pinot Girgio or Orvi- eto. Scamorza is generally eaten fresh or smoked, with the latter (Scamorzi Affu- micate), having a lovely gold outer layer, which makes an excellent table cheese that is also great when used in cooking. Scamorza can be substituted for moz- zarella in most dishes as can any other cheese but the resulting taste will be much stronger and more dominant. It is reputed to melt better in baking. Using the smoked variety (scamorza affumi- cata) adds a nice background f lavour in replacement of mozzarella. Scamorze allo spiedo is a very old dish in which small scamorza cheeses are threaded on spits which revolve over a wood fire. During the cooking process, the cheese takes on an amber color and the interior becomes creamy and buttery. Ingredients 8 slices white bread (sandwich • bread) Fresh basil leaves • 4 thick slices of mozzarella, • drained and dried 4 slices smokey scamorza • 4 tsp anchovy paste • 3 large eggs • ¼ cup milk • Canola oil for shallow frying • Mixed salad leaves • Method Lay 4 slices of bread on a small 1. baking tray lined with baking paper. Arrange 4 basil leaves on each 2. slice of bread slightly overlap- ping them in the centre. Set 1 piece of mozzarella on each 3. slice with a bit of anchovy paste. Top with a slice of scamorza and 4. add another layer of basil. Lay the remaining slices of bread on top. Place a piece of baking paper on 5. the top and put another baking tray on top adding weights and pace in fridge for at least 2 hours or over night. Once rested, remove the crusts 6. or use a 7cm round cookie cutter to cut a shape. Make an eggwash by cracking 7. the eggs into a shallow bowl and whisking in the milk. Pour ½ inch of oil in a shallow 8. heavy skillet and heat over me- dium heat until hot. Line a large plate with kitchen paper Dip the sandwich in eggwash, re- 9. move and drain off the excess. Add it to pan and cook until 10. golden brown on one side (ap- prox. 2 – 3 mins) then turn with spatula cook on the other side until golden brown (approx. 2- 3 mins). Remove from the oil and place 11. on kitchen roll to drain excess oil. Season immediately with salt. Serve immediately with mixed 12. salad leaves. (Go easy on the sal- ad dressing as there is already a lot of oil in the sandwiches.) Fry the sandwiches one (or two if the skillet is large) at a time. Overcrowding will reduce the temperature of the oil and more will be absorbed by the sand- wich, making it too oily. Recipe of the week Smokey scamorza Mozzarella in carrozza Deep-fried, oozing with mozzarella and smokey scamorza and flavoured with basil, this is not your average after-school snack!