Creamy Decadence from the Appenines: Stracciatella Cheese at Osteria 1887

Perched beautifully within the medieval hilltown of Monteprandone, Italy, Dimora di Bacco & Osteria 1887 represents the pinnacle of Marchigiana hospitality. While Dimora di Bacco provides a sweeping, panoramic villa setting for grand celebrations, Osteria 1887 delivers an intimate, zero-kilometer dining experience inside historic underground caves. At the heart of the tavern’s culinary success is a deep reverence for exceptional dairy, most notably captured in their dishes featuring fresh Stracciatella Cheese (Stracciatella di Bufala).

Often confused with the chocolate-chip gelato flavor of the same name, savory Italian stracciatella is the luxurious, molten heart of burrata. The name comes from visit us the Italian word stracciare, meaning “to shred.” It consists of hand-torn shreds of fresh mozzarella soaked in ultra-rich, heavy cream, creating a dairy product that balances a delicate stretch with a velvety, milky sweetness.

The Secret to the Richness

The kitchen at Osteria 1887 uses stracciatella as a masterful texturizing tool. Because it is highly perishable and intensely creamy, it is never cooked aggressively. Instead, the chefs serve it at room temperature, allowing its cool, milky fat to melt softly over hot, savory components right before the plate leaves the kitchen.

Stracciatella acts as the ultimate balancing element across the menu. It is spooned over fresh pinsa and artisanal flatbreads, dolloped onto warm, earthy mushroom ragùs, and paired raw with heirloom tomatoes and fresh oregano. The intense creaminess of the cheese cuts through acidity and tames the deep umami of roasted meats, embedding a luxurious mouthfeel into every bite.

Bringing the Creamy Flavor Home

While true stracciatella relies on artisan cheese-making techniques, you can recreate a remarkably close, luxurious restaurant-style version at home using high-quality store-bought ingredients:

The Mozzarella: Procure 250g of high-quality, fresh buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte packed in water. Drain the liquid completely.

The Shred: Using your hands, carefully tear the mozzarella balls apart into thin, ragged shreds and strings. Place them into a medium mixing bowl.

The Cream: Pour 150ml of premium, fresh heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) over the shredded cheese. Add a generous pinch of fine sea salt.

The Marination: Stir the mixture gently, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours. This allows the curd to absorb the cream, resulting in a thick, luxurious, and spreadable cheese. Serve at room temperature over warm crusty bread or pasta.