View source for Pasta filata

{{merge to|List of stretch-curd cheeses|discuss=Talk:List of stretch-curd cheeses#Stretched curd and Pasta filata|date=May 2025}}
{{Short description|Technique in the manufacture of a family of Italian cheeses}}
{{Italics title}}
[[File:Mozzarella di bufala3.jpg|thumb|Mozzarella – a type of {{lang|it|pasta filata}}]]
'''{{lang|it|Pasta filata}}''' ({{literally|spun paste}}) is a technique in the manufacture of a family of [[List of Italian cheeses|Italian cheeses]] also known in English as '''stretched-curd''', '''pulled-curd''', and '''plastic-curd''' cheeses.<ref>{{cite book   | title = Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology: Major Cheese Groups | author1 = Patrick F. Fox | author2 = Paul L. H. McSweeney | author3 = Timothy M. Cogan | author4 = Timothy P. Guinee |  name-list-style = amp | publisher = Elsevier |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7juYW_Rz9y4C&q=Pasta+filata&pg=PA251 | date = 2004 | pages =  251–277 | isbn =  9780080500942 | access-date = 8 January 2018 }}</ref> Stretched curd cheeses manufactured using the {{lang|it|pasta filata}} technique undergo a plasticising and kneading treatment of the fresh curd in hot water, which gives the cheese its fibrous structure.<ref>{{US patent|7955814}} citing {{cite book |last1=Kindstedt |first1=Paul S. |title=Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology |chapter=Mozzarella and Pizza Cheese |year=1999|volume=2: Major cheese groups |edition=second  |pages=337–341 |publisher=Elsevier Science & Technology |doi=10.1007/978-1-4615-2800-5_12 |oclc=634036414|isbn=0834213389  }}</ref>

The cheese-making begins in the normal way. The milk (usually from [[Cattle|cows]] or [[water buffalo]]) is warmed and curdled and allowed to rest for an hour before the [[curd]]s are cut into small pieces and the [[whey]] is drained off. The curds are allowed to rest for a number of hours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cheesemonthclub.com/provolone-piccante|title=Provolone Piccante|website=www.cheesemonthclub.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref> Then follows the {{lang|it|filatura}}, which is when the curds are steeped for some hours in a bath of very hot whey, or water (for {{lang|it|[[Buffalo mozzarella|mozzarella di bufala campana]]}} the temperature is 95&nbsp;°C). Once they begin to float, most of the liquid is removed and the curd is mixed and kneaded until the required soft, elastic, stringy texture is obtained. The mass of curd is divided (often by pulling out a thick strand and chopping it) and shaped into individual cheeses. In the case of [[mozzarella]], the process is now essentially complete—ideally these cheeses should be eaten within a few days.

For other {{lang|it|formaggi a pasta filata}}, such as [[provolone]], {{lang|it|[[Caciocavallo|caciocavallo silano]]}}, {{lang|it|[[pallone di Gravina]]}}, [[burrata]], and {{lang|it|[[scamorza]]}}, further processing is needed: [[Aging (food)|ageing]] and, in some cases, [[brining]] or [[Smoking (cooking)|smoking]].

==Chemistry==
[[Phosphate]] groups attached to the [[casein]] proteins in the cheese curd are highly charged but repel each other. Naturally high levels of [[Calcium in biology|calcium]] ions are found in the casein [[micelle]]s of the cheese curd and allow the casein micelles to form a more rigid network by bridging the [[Steric effects#Steric hindrance|steric hindrance]] created by the self-repelling phosphate groups. Calcium ions are removed during the production of {{lang|it|pasta filata}} cheeses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representation of the casein micelle dual binding model proposed by Horne |url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Representation-of-the-casein-micelle-dual-binding-model-proposed-by-Horne-16_fig3_307904322}}</ref> This increases the repulsion casein micelles have against each other, allowing the micelle to become less dense and more extensible.

A relatively high amount of calcium is removed during the cheese making process, reducing the overall amount of this nutrient in mozzarella relative to other cheeses. Relative to cheddar cheese, mozzarella has 40% less calcium.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FoodData Central |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170845/nutrients |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=fdc.nal.usda.gov |archive-date=2019-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403171801/https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170845/nutrients |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FoodData Central |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/494681/nutrients |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=fdc.nal.usda.gov |archive-date=2019-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403171801/https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/494681/nutrients |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Italian cheeses]]
* [[List of stretch-curd cheeses]] – cheeses prepared using the {{lang|it|pasta filata}} technique
* [[Types of cheese]] – classification of coagulated milk products

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cheese}}
{{Italian cheeses}}

[[Category:Italian cheeses]]
[[Category:Stretched-curd cheeses]]


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