Cheeses of Battipaglia and the Sele plain
Buffalo country south of Salerno, where mozzarella di bufala is made every morning and eaten the same day.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: April to June and September to October.
Battipaglia lies on the Piana del Sele, a coastal plain south of Salerno that was drained marsh until the twentieth century. Water buffalo, kept in the region for centuries, graze its farms, and dozens of dairies make mozzarella di bufala campana every morning. The plain and the province of Caserta, north of Naples, are the two great homes of the protected cheese.
Mozzarella di bufala
Buffalo milk is set with rennet and natural whey starter, and the curd is left to sour, then cut, covered with hot water and stretched by hand or machine until it is smooth and shiny. Pieces are pinched off, mozzare means to cut off, and shaped into balls, knots or braids. It is best eaten the same day, at room temperature, soft and milky with a little tang.
The plain and Paestum
Many dairies on the plain have shops where mozzarella is sold warm and fresh, along with ricotta, smoked mozzarella and yoghurt made from buffalo milk. The Greek temples of Paestum, among the best preserved in the world, stand at the southern end of the plain. The Amalfi Coast and the Cilento hills lie within an hour's drive.
A trail idea for Battipaglia and the Sele plain
- A buffalo dairy Buy mozzarella still warm from the morning's make.
- A buffalo farm See the herds where farms welcome visitors.
- Paestum Walk among the Greek temples at the edge of the plain.
- Caserta The other heartland, with the royal palace of Caserta.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Battipaglia" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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