Rocky landscapes, centuries-old olive groves, rich pastures and then, again, enchanting villages and hills that gently accompany towards the sea.
We are in heart of Puglia, in the Murge, territory of trulli, ancient cultures and gastronomic excellences, pride of made in Italy.
It is here, a Putignano, which in 1957 begins the history of Palazzo Dairy. It was born as a small family laboratory for the production of cheeses which, from the beginning, gives great importance to processing, respectful of the local tradition, and to the choice of raw material, all fresh and 100% from Murgia Barese.
Today out of that laboratory Murgella excellences, and the family business has become modern and innovative and sells its products all over the world.
At the helm is the third generation of the Palazzo family who, with their work, continue to preserve and pass on the values of tradition and territory.
Give her mozzarella to scamorze, from burrata to stracciatella, from caciocavallo silano DOP to cacioricotta. The flagship of the production of Palazzo Dairy are the spun paste Murgella cheeses, which also in the name evoke the strong link with the Murge territory.
Production, between history and innovation
Like all great recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation, Murgella cheeses also have a secret ingredient, mysterious and unique: the scents of the Murge.
This is not a quid that can be defined, distilled and added to the preparations, but it blends naturally, thanks to many small wise gestures, which characterize the entire production.
It starts with the ingredients. The milk is 100% Italian and comes from the pastures of the Murgia Barese. Then we proceed with the processing: the fermentation of the curd, essential for the success of a good cheese, is obtained thanks to the grafting serum.
It is a little known traditional technique, which recalls the system of sourdough in bread making. Just like natural yeast, in order to remain lively and active, it must be continuously refreshed, so it happens for the lactic acid bacteria of the whey graft, which are renewed day after day and thus bring the aromas of the Murge as a dowry. All following the most modern and safe food techniques.
The result are products genuine and digestible, with a lower concentration of lactose (0.5 g% against 1% of products that use citric acid), a unique, consistent and intense flavor and very high organoleptic qualities.
Gourmet cheeses, also for vegetarians and intolerants
To the pleasure of sinking in the softness of the burrata, to the sensation of freshness that mozzarella gives and to the intensity that they can give to so many scamorza, caciocavallo and pecorino dishes, in the case of the production of the Palazzo Dairy, other elements are added, which have the liveliness of a refinement in step with the times.
The novelties of the last few years are the organic cheeses, attention to those who are intolerant to lactose who can safely choose aged cheeses such as caciocavallo and, finally, the production of cheeses vegetarians, completely free from animal rennet, approved by the Italian Vegetarian Association and clearly identifiable thanks to the V-Label brand.
Murgella cheeses in the kitchen
For purists there is nothing better than to savor the natural cheeses, accompanied by a good wine, a few toasted croutons and, perhaps, a drizzle of oil and fresh vegetables.
It is undeniable, however, that the versatility of the pasta filata cheeses makes them definitely appreciable for those who love to cook and, above all, for gourmets who know how to savor the best of Italian cuisine, combining cheeses with other healthy and genuine ingredients.
It is time, therefore, to put yourself in the kitchen, to bring to the table summer dishes capable of conquering even the most demanding guest.
In this special the recipes to prepare with mozzarella, burrata, scamorza, ricotta, caciocavallo and stacciatella are many and the menus to be composed can be infinite. There are fresh glasses of burrata, watermelon and melon, minirolls with scamorza cheese, stuffed mozzarella that look like unusual sandwiches, rich pastas, creamy risotto, typical Apulian orecchiette, vegetable tatin, savory puff pastries, finger food and, to finish sweetly, a delicious ricotta cheese cake.
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