Brin d'Amour Cheese vs Pasta Filata Cheese
Brin d'Amour Cheese is a soft to firm sheep-milk cheese from France, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous and made from cow or buffalo milk.
What Is Brin d'Amour Cheese?
Brin d'amour is a Corsican raw sheep's milk cheese created in the 1950s. It is known for a natural rind dusted with herbs of the maquis, which pass their flavor into the soft ivory paste as the cheese ages.
What Is Pasta Filata Cheese?
Pasta filata is the Italian spun-curd technique behind mozzarella, provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza. Fresh curd is kneaded in hot water until it turns soft, elastic and stringy, which gives the finished cheese its fibrous structure.
What's the Difference Between Brin d'Amour Cheese and Pasta Filata Cheese?
- Milk type: Brin d'Amour Cheese (sheep's milk), Pasta Filata Cheese (cow, water buffalo)
- Texture: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Soft to firm), Pasta Filata Cheese (soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous)
- Aging: Brin d'Amour Cheese (1 to 3 months), Pasta Filata Cheese (fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Brin d'Amour Cheese | Pasta Filata Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Corsica, France | Italy |
| Milk Type | Sheep's milk | Cow, water buffalo |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | — |
| Texture | Soft to firm | Soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous |
| Rind | Natural | — |
| Aging | 1 to 3 months | Fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza |
| Taste | Earthy | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Brin d'Amour Cheese Taste Like Pasta Filata Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Brin d'Amour Cheese at 1 to 3 months develops a different profile than Pasta Filata Cheese at fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Can You Substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
Brin d'Amour Cheese can stand in for Pasta Filata Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft to firm bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.
Which Is Better, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft to firm cheese, go with Brin d'Amour Cheese. For a soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous profile, Pasta Filata Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brin d'Amour Cheese the same as Pasta Filata Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Brin d'Amour Cheese is made from sheep milk; Pasta Filata Cheese uses cow or buffalo. Aging also differs: Brin d'Amour Cheese is typically aged 1 to 3 months, Pasta Filata Cheese fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Is Brin d'Amour Cheese similar to Pasta Filata Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Brin d'Amour Cheese taste like Pasta Filata Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Brin d'Amour Cheese made of?
Brin d'Amour Cheese is made from sheep milk (raw). It's typically aged 1 to 3 months. It originates in France.
What is Pasta Filata Cheese made of?
Pasta Filata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk. It's typically aged fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Which should I choose, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brin d'Amour Cheese is soft to firm, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.