What’s better than mozzarella? Nothing… except maybe something that’s made from mozzarella and cream.
Do you love cheese? I do. I always say everything is better with cheese.
Or at least life feels better with cheese.
So imagine my delight when I came across Burrata Joy – an Italian delivery concept in Singapore that shines the spotlight on the artisanal cheese burrata, and the fresh and premium ingredients that work well with it.
Don’t know burrata? Wait, where have you been?
“Burrata is a luscious pouch of tender mozzarella stuffed with stracciatella – a juicy blend of cream and delicious mozzarella strings,” says Walter Visioli, general manager of Burrata Joy.
So no, it’s “not mozzarella”, and yes, “it’s made from mozzarella”.
An invention from southern Italy, burrata allowed cheesemakers to use mozzarella scraps in another way, adds Walter.
“Burrata is essentially the creamier version of mozzarella,” he describes. “It’s best served within 48 to 72 hours of purchase, and typically at room temperature.” (Although he says it’s still “perfectly edible” even after that.)
String me along
Burrata stars in Burrata Joy’s pasta dishes and signature bowls, but you can also have burrata as is – they sell the cheese in jars for us to use at home.
The good news? You will probably see a physical outlet of Burrata Joy soon. It’s an opportunity to share and savour more burrata, I say.
Until then, Walter recommends a few tasty ways for us cheese and burrata lovers to enjoy burrata as we have them delivered (for now) to our doorstep.
#1 As a snack
“In Italy, we more often have mozzarella by itself, with tomatoes or on a pizza, while burrata is more of an occasional item, mostly in summer when you enjoy cold, fresh items more often,” he recalls.
“My personal memories with mozzarella and burrata are of them as snacks during day trips, usually in spring or summer. And when we were hungry as kids, we were just stuffed with small mozzarellas or burratinas accompanied by focaccias, breadsticks or crackers.”
#2 As a classic
“What we call Milano on our menu, with rucola salad, tomatoes and burrata. It’s so basic yet light and refreshing for a nice, quick and fulfilling lunch.” (Rucola is also known as arugula and rocket.)
“In Italy it is incredibly popular to also have burrata by itself, or just with some tomatoes and olive oil. However, it can essentially be paired with just about anything and really depends on personal taste.
“It’s also great to put on top of pasta, but this is a slightly heavier meal, therefore the time you choose to eat it is important too.”
#3 As an experiment
“I would say that you need to experiment with your personal favourite taste. However, it also depends on the occasion, if you’re sharing, or the time of day you’re eating it.
“Maybe for a work lunch, pasta with burrata would be a little heavier to digest; but for a family meal, it would be perfect! The setting, people and your preference matter a lot. It’s a great addition to so many different dishes and ingredients.”
#4 As a simple addition
“Burrata is always surprising, an explosion of milky-rich flavour,” Walter observes.
“We are traditional with food yet creative, but we would never pair it with something weird. I think simplicity is always a good choice when it comes to eating burrata. Less is truly more sometimes, specially when the protagonist – the burrata – is so overwhelmingly good!”
#5 As a gift
Now that Christmas and the holidays are coming up, burrata can easily be a part of your feasts.
“Just take some to your next group dinner – a plain burrata or a simple burrata salad for lunch, and a few different burrata pastas for dinner. A plain burrata with some tomatoes and olive oil will always make a good show, 300g if you’re in a group.
“If you’re ready to impress, you can order our most popular pastas: Fusilli with Truffle Cream, Penne Pomodoro and Orecchiette Pesto, all naturally topped with burrata.”
But we may be getting ahead of ourselves
Uhm, back to people who don’t know burrata in the first place. What if it’s someone’s first time eating it?
From Burrata Joy’s menu, Walter narrows your first-time choices down to two: “Either Milano for lunch or Fusilli Bolognese with burrata for a nice dinner,” he answers.
“The first is a perfect snack or lunch, balanced and light. The second one is a great combination: meaty, creamy and fulfilling. You can’t go wrong with both of them.”
Yes, either choice is a good one, and will make you happy. Do you know why the eatery was named Burrata Joy?
“We wanted to associate a popular food item with a short, positive word. It came up so natural, as food is joy for us,” he explains.
In fact, having good food and burrata, and working for Burrata Joy, helped Walter get through last year and this year too.
“We are aware that the pandemic made people feel lonely and disconnected. Burrata Joy became a gift idea for many, brought people together, and created joyful memories.”
Besides, there are no rules with burrata (or with any other cheese, for that matter). If you decide to have it for breakfast, as a mid-day snack or comfort food, as a dessert and more, it’s really up to you. (Let us know how they turn out.)
“The ingredients you choose to pair it with can make it great for any time of the day,” Walter says.
Although there are still other cheeses you can sink your teeth into. “Of course,” he admits. Burrata would be first on the list, but feel free to include your favourites as well.
For Walter, “Mozzarella would be a good choice, or parmesan cheese!” I agree.
Find Burrata Joy here and on Facebook and Instagram. For pick-up at 36 Purvis Street, check their website.
For delivery, they’re on Deliveroo (or you can also choose pick-up at 29 Media Circle), Grab and Foodpanda. (Note: The selection, menus and delivery zones may differ for each platform.)
In the meantime, here are more ideas for burrata bowls to whet your appetite. ⬇️ (You’re welcome.)