Abruzzo — the scamorza affumicata tradition is found throughout central-southern Italy (Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Abruzzo all produce versions) but the Abruzzese preparation specifically on the grill or over live embers is the most direct and celebrated expression.
Scamorza abruzzese is the stretched-curd (pasta filata) cheese of the Abruzzo interior — made from whole cow's milk, shaped into the characteristic pear with a narrow neck (smaller than caciocavallo), and either left fresh (bianca) or lightly smoked over hay or straw for 24-48 hours (affumicata). The smoked version, grilled on a cast-iron grill or directly on embers until the exterior chars and blisters and the interior becomes molten, is the definitive Abruzzese antipasto — served whole or halved, the melted cheese running from the cuts. It is one of those preparations where the technique (high-heat grilling of a specific cheese) produces a result completely different from any other cooking method.
Scamorza alla brace at the table is still sizzling — the charred exterior dark and fragrant with smoke, the interior white and running when pierced. The flavour is simultaneously charred-bitter and sweet-milky; the smoke of the scamorza's own affumicatura combined with the new char of the grill. With prosciutto d'Abruzzo alongside, it is the most direct possible expression of the central Italian antipasto tradition.
The smoked scamorza must be at room temperature before grilling — cold cheese grills unevenly with a hot exterior and cold interior. Place the whole scamorza (or halved crosswise) directly on a very hot cast-iron grill, griddle, or close to wood embers. Do not touch for 2-3 minutes until visible charring and swelling begins. Turn once; repeat. The exterior should be dark and slightly charred; the interior should be completely molten. Serve immediately — the cheese stiffens within 3 minutes. Traditional accompaniments: toasted bread, prosciutto, cured meats, or vegetables al forno.
The charred exterior is not incidental — it provides the bitterness that counterbalances the sweet, molten interior. A wedge of lemon squeezed over the charred scamorza at the table is the finishing touch. In Abruzzo, scamorza alla brace is served at the start of the 'grigliata' — the communal outdoor grill — while the larger cuts of meat are still cooking.
Grilling at too low a temperature — scamorza needs intense heat to char the exterior before the interior has a chance to completely melt and run out; low heat produces steamed, not grilled cheese. Not serving immediately — the molten interior stiffens quickly; scamorza alla brace waits for no one. Using fresh scamorza rather than the affumicata version — the fresh scamorza lacks the smoky complexity; always use the smoked version for grilling.
Anna Gosetti della Salda, Le Ricette Regionali Italiane; Slow Food Editore, Abruzzo in Cucina