Mimolette Cheese vs Pasta Filata Cheese
Mimolette Cheese is a smooth, creamy body cow-milk cheese from France, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous and made from cow or buffalo milk.
What Is Mimolette Cheese?
Mimolette is a hard, bright orange cow's milk cheese made around Lille in northern France. It is sold at several ages, from young wheels that taste like Parmesan to extra-old ones with a hazelnut flavor and a grey, mite-worked rind.
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 Mimolette Cheese and Pasta Filata Cheese?
- Milk type: Mimolette Cheese (Cow's milk), Pasta Filata Cheese (cow, water buffalo)
- Texture: Mimolette Cheese (Smooth, creamy body), Pasta Filata Cheese (soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous)
- Aging: Mimolette Cheese (6 weeks to 24 months), Pasta Filata Cheese (fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Mimolette Cheese | Pasta Filata Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Flanders Area Of Pas-De-Calais | Italy |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow, water buffalo |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | — |
| Texture | Smooth, creamy body | Soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous |
| Rind | Natural | — |
| Aging | 6 weeks to 24 months | Fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza |
| Taste | Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Mimolette Cheese Taste Like Pasta Filata Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Mimolette Cheese at 6 weeks to 24 months develops a different profile than Pasta Filata Cheese at fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Can You Substitute Mimolette Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
Mimolette Cheese can stand in for Pasta Filata Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect smooth, creamy body bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.
Which Is Better, Mimolette Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a smooth, creamy body cheese, go with Mimolette 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 Mimolette Cheese the same as Pasta Filata Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Mimolette Cheese is made from cow milk; Pasta Filata Cheese uses cow or buffalo. Aging also differs: Mimolette Cheese is typically aged 6 weeks to 24 months, Pasta Filata Cheese fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Is Mimolette Cheese similar to Pasta Filata Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Mimolette Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Mimolette 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 Mimolette Cheese made of?
Mimolette Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 6 weeks to 24 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, Mimolette Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mimolette Cheese is smooth, creamy body, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.