Fiore Di Latte

[Oded]

Hello everyone,

Watching this video:
https://youtu.be/xKDnD8sJsuY?t=359

The guy adds Fiore Di Latte on the pizza. When I googled it, it looks like Fiore Di Latte is fresh Mozzarella in water... but his cheese looks a bit stringy and dry.

Fiore Di Latte IS Mozzarella in water and his just stood outside long enough to dry a bit...?

[nickyr]

I think it just refers to the fact that the mozzarella is cow’s milk, not buffalo

[Oded]

I see. So which cheese he's using there? Can I see a link so I can get to actually see what it is...?

[amolapizza]

Fior di latte is the Italian way of saying cow's milk mozzarella.  Mostly it's packed in whey, but I've seen it packed without liquid in some Italian videos.  Personally I used to use buffalo mozzarella that I bought at a higher price, but have since tested all the local available cow's milk mozzarella and settled on a supermarket brand that luckily is one of the cheapest that I can buy and also melts well.  I don't think I can tell the difference in taste on the finished pizza.

I normally buy a big batch when I see that it's fresh (from the use by date) and freeze it.  In the morning on pizza days I take it out and let it defreeze.  A few hours before baking I remove it from the packaging and leave the balls in a bowl to lose liquid.  Shortly before baking I cut it in strips or cubes depending on what style of pizza I'm making and how I want it to melt.  At that point it doesn't have much liquid and doesn't create a soup on my pizza.

Exactly how much liquid it contains, how it melts and how much structure it has depends on the brand and age of the mozzarella itself.  There is quite a big variety and it's IMO worth a bit of experimentation.

Mine looks similar to the one in the video when I put it on the pizza.

Edit: I believe that it's quite common in the states to sell a low moisture mozzarella in form of a brick.  You could try this as well, from what I understand reading this forum it's a popular choice for american pizza.  Just be aware that different brands will melt and color differently.

[Yael]

It's funny because it will be the content of my next video on my Youtube channel (in French)...
I unofficially separate mozzarellas in 2 kind: the fresh one an the industrial one.
The fresh one is the one in brine, buffala or fior di latte (cow's).
The industrial one is the one in big blocks, often grated, often IQF.

Between them there's another kind, it's the mozzarella sticks, "mozzarella filone" or "panettone", sometimes also called "fior di pizza". It's close to fior di latte (some of them are called "fior di latte" as well), because it's supposed to be very white and the taste is pretty much the same, only it's not that creamy (mozzarella in brine usually don't give good result in >3min bakes, it becomes a puddle of water). I'm 99% sure this is the kind of mozzarella he uses in the video.

[amolapizza]

Ah I didn't know that.  At the moment my max baking time for pizza is about 3-3.5 minutes.  The mozzarella I use holds out pretty well if cut in larger cubes, but it's beginning to dissolve into bubbly fat at the 3-3.5 minute mark.

I've managed to find sliced low moisture mozzarella but I only tried it once when I tried to make a NY pie.  I do have a packet in the freezer that I might try some day.

[Andrew Bellucci]

Fiore Di Latte IS Mozzarella in water and his just stood outside long enough to dry a bit...?

Ding, ding, ding...we have a winner!

Just what you said, fior di latte is FRESH cow's milk mozzarella. In Naples when you say mozzarella, it's assumed that it's from buffalo milk.  And I think your observation is correct.  He dried it out.

I love the fresh mozzarella (and burrata) at Casa della Mozzarella off Arthur Avenue in The Bronx.  Orazio Carciotto makes incredible handmade mozz.  But it's way too wet for pizza - at least how I use it.  I asked him if he could make fresh mozz but "step down on the water"  which is possible (Mike's Deli around the corner from him offers a "pizza fresh mozz" cheese that does just that).

Orazio only makes mozz one way so he suggested that I slice the mozz, but it on baking trays and leave it in the walk-in, uncovered, for 24-48 hours.  I did just that and one time I got the most incredible mozz for pizza.  It kept it's beautiful white sheen, the cheese pulled, the taste was great.  But the other times I did that, some were watery, some too dry, etc.

All to say, it can be done - and as much as I love Orazio and his shop, I can't make his product work for me. 

On a smaller scale - have at it!  See what you come up with.  Good luck!

[ARenko]

Happened to see this video shortly after reading this thread...

[Andrew Bellucci]

Happened to see this video shortly after reading this thread...

Woah!!!  What a great video!.  I might have to put that very last pie on my menu (burrata di bufala).  Awesome!

[woodfiredandrew]

I used to pull mozz from Grande cheese curd about 300 lbs/week, i did it for about 4-5 months ( until i got better at it), i would not recommend anyone to do on regular basis, it's too tough on your hands (you will get arthritis for sure),
Anyway here is what i have learned, when your squeezing mozz into a ball it is very important to take your time to squeeze as much water out of it (before cheese gets cold) before it goes into a cold water to rest until it gets completely cold. once you have a cold mozz ball (just like pizza dough ball) it goes on the stainer into the walk-ins for overnight. 
once you are ready to shred( we used to dice by hand then switched to machine) in the machine do not force or apply too much pressure or you will end up with mozz mush. you want to go nice and steady with uniform force to get good 1/4" strings which melts great on pie. we had woodfired oven so it was done in 90 sec. if you are doing it in a smaller quantity then i would recommend to do it by hand, all that hard work making mozz will be ruined if you don't cut it right. i may not cut mozz that way if i am cooking at less than 900 f. you got to decide based on your oven temp and what melt you want on it....my two cents.         

[Oded]

What a great video!!!

Going to get some fresh mozzarella, mid-size julienne cut it, let it rest and see what's coming up...

Thank you all!!!

[amolapizza]

Woah!!!  What a great video!.  I might have to put that very last pie on my menu (burrata di bufala).  Awesome!

Burrata di bufala post bake is authentic hardcore pizza porn! 

It's just too good!

[Andrew Bellucci]

I used to pull mozz from Grande cheese curd about 300 lbs/week, i did it for about 4-5 months ( until i got better at it), i would not recommend anyone to do on regular basis, it's too tough on your hands (you will get arthritis for sure),
Anyway here is what i have learned, when your squeezing mozz into a ball it is very important to take your time to squeeze as much water out of it (before cheese gets cold) before it goes into a cold water to rest until it gets completely cold. once you have a cold mozz ball (just like pizza dough ball) it goes on the stainer into the walk-ins for overnight. 
once you are ready to shred( we used to dice by hand then switched to machine) in the machine do not force or apply too much pressure or you will end up with mozz mush. you want to go nice and steady with uniform force to get good 1/4" strings which melts great on pie. we had woodfired oven so it was done in 90 sec. if you are doing it in a smaller quantity then i would recommend to do it by hand, all that hard work making mozz will be ruined if you don't cut it right. i may not cut mozz that way if i am cooking at less than 900 f. you got to decide based on your oven temp and what melt you want on it....my two cents.         

Some great information here. Thanks!  And your last sentence is spot on:  the oven temp and settings, control the bake and especially the cheese!

[ButteredPizza]

Happened to see this video shortly after reading this thread...

Reviving thread as I just found this browsing through the forum, and I never thought I needed a instructions how to cut the cheese.   

It's quite excellent, thank you!