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Caciocavallo and Scamorza are both pasta filata cheeses, made using the same stretching technique as mozzarella, but taken further. After the curd is stretched and shaped, these cheeses are tied or hung in pairs to age and firm up over time — caciocavallo's name itself nods to the way pairs of cheese were traditionally slung over a pole ("a cavallo," meaning "on horseback") to cure.
Smoked varieties undergo an additional step: after shaping, the cheese is exposed to natural smoke, which adds a distinctive golden-brown rind and deep, smoky aroma without ever being heavily processed.
Caciocavallo is firm yet supple, with a flavor that ranges from mild and buttery when young to sharp and piquant with more age. Scamorza is similar but typically softer and milder, with a slightly springy bite. Smoked versions carry a noticeably deeper, woodsy flavor alongside the cheese's natural richness.
These cheeses excel both on the table and in the pan. Sliced and pan-seared or grilled, scamorza develops a beautiful golden crust while staying soft inside. Caciocavallo can be eaten young as a table cheese or grated over pasta when more aged. Smoked varieties are excellent melted into sandwiches or shaved thin as a flavor accent.
Bold reds like Primitivo or Nero d'Avola stand up well to these cheeses' richer, smokier notes. On the plate, pair with cured meats, roasted peppers, or a drizzle of good honey to balance the smoke.
Fresh mozzarella that's been smoked after stretching, giving it a golden-tan rind and a smoky depth the fresh version doesn't have. Firmer than fresh mozzarella as a result of the smoking process.
A stretched-curd shell (like a small caciocavallo) formed around a core of fresh butter — a traditional way of preserving butter before refrigeration. Sliced open, it reveals the butter center inside the firm cheese casing.
The same aged, stretched-curd caciocavallo, smoked after shaping for a deeper, more savory edge on top of its natural sharpness.
The same stretched-curd scamorza, smoked for a golden rind and smoky flavor layered over its naturally mild, semi-firm character.
A stretched-curd cheese in the same family as mozzarella and caciocavallo, but aged briefly to firm it up — traditionally shaped like a small sack tied at the top. Available plain or smoked, with a flavor and texture that sits between fresh mozzarella and aged caciocavallo.
An aged, stretched-curd cheese shaped like a gourd and tied at the neck to hang and age in pairs. A provolone type cheese, it is firm and sliceable, with a flavor that sharpens the longer it ages — milder young, tangier as it matures.
Fifth-generation Italian cheesemakers, crafting fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and burrata in Hamden, Connecticut since 1981.
