Scamorza is a cheese of Italian southern origin, known for its short maturation and produced with either cow's or goat's milk but it can also be made with both. It has the shape of a pear, with the head part binded with a straw lace.The paste is white, spun and similar to that of mozzarella.The scamorza is prepared in molds of about 150 g, however the smoked one is also on the market in heavier forms.

Like all stretched curd cheeses (including mozzarella), scamorza is produced in Southern Italy (especially in Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata and the inland areas of Campania). Its name refers to the work of dairymen, who use their hands to "scamova" the dough, that is to give the cheese the characteristic "pear" shape with a narrower form in the upper part (the head).

The scamorza can be both fresh (in this case it has a thin yellow rind, uniform white paste with few holes and a typical elastic texture) or smoked (with brown compact paste). The fresh one tastes sweet and delicate, with aromatic traces of milk, on the other hand the smoked one has a more distinct taste. Excellent in salads or skewers, scamorza cheese, which can be spun, is ideal in the cooking of oven preparations that require a light gratin. Another way to eat it is in slices of 2- 3 cm cooked on a plate or grilled, accompanied by chestnut honey.

Perfect as a filling and excellent grilled or in a pan, the scamorza can be kept in the refrigerator for quite a long time (up to 20 days, wrapped in a clean cloth). Plus, it has zero waste: even the dark skin of the smoked version is tasty and edible. In its lands of production it is used in amazing traditional recipes, which are linked to the rural history of the Bel Paese. For example, a traditional dish with scamorza is the tortano, a tasty Neapolitan holyday bread made with leftovers.