Brocciu Cheese vs Pasta Filata Cheese
Brocciu Cheese is a soft, creamy goat or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous and made from cow or buffalo milk.
What Is Brocciu Cheese?
Brocciu is a Corsican cheese made from a mix of whey and ewe's milk. It is eaten fresh or ripened for a few weeks, and it holds less lactose than Italian ricotta, which it often replaces.
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 Brocciu Cheese and Pasta Filata Cheese?
- Milk type: Brocciu Cheese (goat's or sheep's milk), Pasta Filata Cheese (cow, water buffalo)
- Texture: Brocciu Cheese (Soft, creamy), Pasta Filata Cheese (soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous)
- Aging: Brocciu Cheese (Fresh or matured), Pasta Filata Cheese (fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Brocciu Cheese | Pasta Filata Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Corsica | Italy |
| Milk Type | Goat's or sheep's milk | Cow, water buffalo |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | — |
| Texture | Soft, creamy | Soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous |
| Rind | None | — |
| Aging | Fresh or matured | Fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza |
| Taste | Meltingly creamy, saltier when matured | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Brocciu Cheese Taste Like Pasta Filata Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Brocciu Cheese at fresh or matured develops a different profile than Pasta Filata Cheese at fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Can You Substitute Brocciu Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
Brocciu Cheese can stand in for Pasta Filata Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, creamy bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.
Which Is Better, Brocciu 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, creamy cheese, go with Brocciu 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 Brocciu Cheese the same as Pasta Filata Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Brocciu Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk; Pasta Filata Cheese uses cow or buffalo. Aging also differs: Brocciu Cheese is typically aged fresh or matured, Pasta Filata Cheese fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Is Brocciu Cheese similar to Pasta Filata Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Brocciu Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Brocciu 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 Brocciu Cheese made of?
Brocciu Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged fresh or matured. 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, Brocciu Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brocciu Cheese is soft, creamy, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.