The extraordinary diversity of the Italian territory, its gastronomic culture and dairy traditions allow gourmets from all over the world to choose from a wide variety of dishes of the highest quality. An “entirely Italian” quality that the European Commission continues to recognize thanks to a growing number of protected designations.
Characteristics, quality and “value” of Italian cheeses
In Italy, there are 51 types of cheese with a protected designation of origin (DOP), 1 with a protected geographical indication (PGI), 1 with a traditional feature guaranteed (STG), 2 with temporary protection (pending, i.e. receiving official recognition from the European Commission) and as many 456 of various types, included in the national list of traditional agro-food products, Italian cheeses are one of the most prestigious business cards of the national food sector.
Italian cheeses not only satisfy the taste, but also please the eye of the most experienced eater. Therefore, there is no doubt that cheeses, precisely because of their endless variety, are one of the greatest pleasures of Italian gastronomy. 3 in the Transitional Protection (waiting, that is, for official recognition from the European Commission) and as many as 456 different types included in the national list of traditional food products, Italian cheeses are one of the most prestigious business cards of the national cuisine. sector.
“The term “traditional products” means those agro-food products, the methods of processing, preservation and aging of which are consolidated over time, uniform for the entire relevant territory, according to traditional rules, for a period of at least twenty-five years.” With these few lines, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture accurately describes the value of the national agri-food tradition and, in particular, the extent of the dairy tradition, which currently boasts 456 protected cheeses.
Cheese has been the protagonist of Italian gastronomic culture for many centuries, and it is this very ancient presence of cheese on tables throughout the peninsula that has given it countless different faces, to the point that today, looking at the cheese wheel, we can learn its geographical origin, technology production, degree of maturity and often even the type of milk (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo) used for its preparation.
Differences in the processing of milk are those that have the greatest effect on the variety of cheeses, which depend on the amount of fat left in the milk, the use of raw or pasteurized milk (rapidly heated to 75°C), the type and amount of rennet added, the methods of processing the cheese mass (cutting into small blocks, drawing into long elastic threads, grinding into rice grains), boiling or not the curd to remove more water, adding other ingredients (such as starters that acidify the milk, or mold that thrives in the cracks of the wheels) , from the shape given to each type of cheese, from the salt, and from whether it needs to be aged or not.
As a result of this differentiation, there is now a complex classification of cheeses. Depending on the origin of milk, they are divided into cow, sheep, goat and buffalo milk. Depending on the consistency of the paste, there will be cheeses of “soft paste” (with a water content of 40 to 70 percent) and cheeses of “hard paste” (water content of less than 40 percent), and intermediate products are produced as “semi-hard paste”. “.
By fat content, we divide cheeses into “low fat” (less than 20% fat), “light” (from 20% to 35% fat), and no definition is given for cheeses with a fat content of more than 35%.
Ripening time looks for grays as “very fresh” (ripening 48 to 72 hours), “fresh” (15 days), “semi-ripe” (40 days to 6 months), “mature” (6 months to one year). and “very mature” (more than one year).
Next, depending on the cooking of the gray mass, “raw cheeses” (the cheese is processed at room temperature), “semi-finished cheeses” (temperature from 38° to 40° C) and “cooked cheeses” (temperature from 58° to 60° C).
Finally, depending on the specific processing technology, “pasta filata” cheeses, “melted” cheeses and so-called “cheese-not-cheeses” mascarpone and ricotta are produced. The former are characterized by a spinning process that makes the dough smooth, elastic, uniform and compact, since it is processed manually by soaking the curd mass in hot water, which stretches, becomes elastic and can be given into different shapes.
Cheeses, slices of toast, pizza mixes, etc. that have the term “processed cheese” are obtained by melting different types of cheeses, milk components, molten salts, emulsifiers, spices and flavorings.
“Cheeses, not cheeses” have this unique definition because they are not produced directly from milk: mascarpone is obtained by coagulation of milk cream, and this makes it especially creamy and caloric, suitable for making confectionery for creams and desserts; Ricotta is technically described as a dairy product obtained from whey that is thermally stabilized before packaging, giving it a white paste, a soft, creamy, compact texture and one of the lowest calories in the entire dairy sector.
To give just a few specific examples of classification, Crescenza, Quartirolo, Gorgonzola should be considered raw cheeses, while Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano should be considered cooked cheeses; Mozzarella, Robiola, Caprino – fresh cheeses; Taleggio, Provolone, Fontina, Asiago, Montazio, Pecorino are semi-ripened cheeses; Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano are very mature cheeses. Almost all of these cheeses have a DOP, or Protected Designation of Origin, which is assigned to cheeses produced in demarcated geographical areas following permanent local customs and whose product characteristics depend mainly on the conditions specific to the production environment.
This designation was introduced by the European Union to protect typical productions of a certain country from frequent commercial frauds, which are carried out both in the country itself and outside its borders. In fact, consumers often confuse many prized cheeses, perhaps with a distinctive and recognizable shape like Provolone or Caciocavallo, with others that mimic their very shape; for this reason, it is advisable not to limit yourself to the appearance, but to ensure the presence of the Consorzio di Tutela mark on the form. Other types of fraud, the most common, include cheeses made using reconstituted milk powder, which is prohibited by Italian law but allowed in other countries, or sheep’s milk cheeses and buffalo mozzarella containing a higher or lower percentage of cow’s milk.
“Case” with mozzarella
A cheese deeply associated with Italian tradition (one example for all: what would a pizza be without mozzarella!), mozzarella is the number one fresh cheese: it accounts for more than a third of all prepackaged cheeses sold in major retailers. trade. Its rounded taste and special pasta texture, the result of a unique production process, make it an irreplaceable pleasure for 80 percent of Italians (source: Cermes research).
However, while the production technique has remained unchanged over time, the same cannot be said for the innovations in “shapes and sizes” that have evolved to add a service for the benefit of consumers: thus, alongside the classic ball, ribbon and piece shapes, appeared, for example, orecchiette, an evolution of ciliegine, ideal for aperitifs or salads; puff pastry with mozzarella, a special ingredient for buns or savory pies; or mozzarella seasoned with olives or herbs, on the one hand, light mozzarella, on the other, with 35% fewer calories.
On the foreign front, this cheese is so closely identified with the Italian gastronomic tradition that it has become synonymous with Italy at the table all over the world. In fact, almost 18 percent of domestic mozzarella production is exported to markets on five continents.
Top 52 popular Italian cheeses:
Asiago DOP
Asiago PDO Fresco Riserva cheese is produced from milk collected from member farms of Latterie Vicentine located in the area designated by the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago Cheese.
It is known that this cheese is a good source of protein and calcium, and the content of fat and cholesterol in it is moderate. Regarding health issues, it is important to emphasize that moderate consumption of Asiago DOP Fresco Riserva cheese can be part of a balanced diet, providing important nutrients without excessive amounts of fat and cholesterol. Since it matures for more than 40 days, it can be considered naturally very low in lactose.
Fresh Asiago PDO cheese is incredibly versatile in the kitchen due to its ability to melt evenly when heated. This property makes it ideal for flavoring pasta dishes, risotto and decorating pizza. When used as is, it has a delicate and fresh taste, slightly sour with a hint of melted butter, but never bitter.
Bitto DOP
Bitto cheese is a hard cheese, produced mainly in the alpine valleys of Valtellina, in Lombardy. It is one of the most refined and traditional Italian cheeses, with a history that goes back more than a thousand years. Its name probably derives from the Bitto stream that flows near the production sites.
Bitto is produced exclusively in the summer, from June to September, using raw cow’s milk, with the addition of a small percentage (maximum 10%) of goat’s milk, an indigenous and rare breed. This gives the cheese a special taste, a little more intense and aromatic. The cows from which the milk is obtained graze freely on the Alpeggio, eating mountain herbs, which further enriches the taste of the product.
Production takes place according to traditional methods: milk is heated in copper cauldrons directly on the alpeggio, and after curdling, the batter is broken and cooked at controlled temperatures. The obtained cheese is then pressed and salted. After the first ripening in the Alpeggio, Bitto is taken to the seasonal rooms, where it can ripen for periods of several months to several years.
Bra DOP
In the past, the town of Bra was the market where this cheese produced in the mountains of Cuneo was sold. Today it is produced throughout the region. Two versions of Bra cheese received Dop status in 1982. A firm Bra cheese that has been matured for a minimum of six months is sometimes called “medium-ripened”, but the ripening period can be extended to a year or more with excellent results. The additional amount of goat’s and sheep’s milk is proportionally small compared to the amount of cow’s milk, but they still give the cheese a distinct taste.
The method, which is used especially in autumn, produces Bra ciuck, which is matured in the marc of red wine.
In the past, the town of Bra was the market where this cheese produced in the mountains of Cuneo was sold. Today it is produced throughout the region. Two versions of Bra cheese received Dop status in 1982. A firm Bra cheese that has been matured for a minimum of six months is sometimes called “medium-ripened”, but the ripening period can be extended to a year or more with excellent results. The additional amount of goat’s and sheep’s milk is proportionally small compared to the amount of cow’s milk, but they still give the cheese a distinct taste.
The method, which is used especially in autumn, produces Bra ciuck, which is matured in the marc of red wine.
Caciocavallo Silano DOP
In the wide and somewhat common production of “Caciocavallo” or “Provoloni” in the south of Italy, the Silano variety has represented the product designation of protected origin since 1993. Despite its name, it is not produced exclusively in Sila, but in five other regions of southern Italy, or, more precisely, in areas carefully defined by regulation. An important characteristic of Silano Caciocavallo is that it is hand-made, which ensures a perfect softness, while machine-made cheese tends to be “rubbery”.
Canestrato di Moliterno PGI
Among the oldest cheeses of the Italian dairy tradition.
Starting in the 4th century BC, Enotrians, shepherds and farmers turned milk into the typical pie baskets, hence the name.
The production area includes several municipalities, including Gregolan (Mt), inland marginal areas with pastures improved by sheep and goats, in the Lucania hinterland, and it is here that Guffanti selects the best Moliterno canestrats aged in the fondaco (specifically in the cellars) of the IGP.
Canestrato Pugliese DOP
It is called so because the wheels are dried in basket-shaped containers, on which traces are stored (a similar technology for the production of sheep’s cheese is already described in the “Odyssey”).
Casatella Trevigiana DOP
Casatella Trevigiana DOP has a soft, shiny, slightly creamy texture that melts in the mouth, a milky white to creamy white color; Small small holes are allowed. The pick is absent or barely visible, traditionally cylindrical in shape. Soft, milky and fresh aroma. The taste is sweet, characteristic of milk, with slight acidity.
Casciotta d’Urbino DOP
“Casciotta [according to the local dialect pronunciation] from Urbino” received the designation of origin in 1982 (unique among the many caciottas from Central Italy). It is obtained by mixing 70% sheep’s milk with 30% cow’s milk.
Castelmagno DOP
It is produced only in the small area of Val Grana, which coincides with the three municipalities of Castelmagno, Pradleves and Monterosso Grana. DOP dates back to 1982, DOP recognition was awarded in 1996. Production on mountain pastures is actually limited to one cheese maker. There are countless imitations in the surrounding towns and valleys, often with names that somehow resemble “Castelmagno”. Unfortunately, today’s trend is to release it on the market very young and not with blue veins, but only after a proper aging of at least six months does this wonderful cheese fully emphasize its characteristics.
Fiore Sardo DOP
One of the three pecorino cheeses with a designation of origin from Sardinia: Fiore has a characteristic arched “mule back” shape, and the rind is covered with an emulsion of olive oil with wine vinegar and table salt. The name comes from the fact that milk thistle was once used as a rennet in its production.
It can be smoked as it ripens, using smoke derived from typical trees.
Fontina DOP
The most famous and typical cheese of Valle d’Aosta, the basis of recipes such as Valle d’Aosta fondue. It is produced with the milk of local black-spotted and brown-spotted cows: the production of mountain pastures or, in any case, that which preserves ancient craft traditions, stands out in the offer of this product, which has now become very high in quality. various
Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano DOP
Fossa di Sogliano DOP cheese, hard or semi-hard, is made from whole cow’s milk, sheep’s milk or their mixture (80% cow’s milk and at least 20% sheep’s milk). The animals from which it is obtained must come from farms in the production area and belong to the Italian Frisona, Bruna Alpina, Pezzata Rossa and related crosses, as well as Sarda, Comisana, Massese, Vissana, Cornella Bianca, Fabrianese delle Langhe, Pinzirita sheep. and inbred crosses
Formai de Mut dell’ Alta Valle Brembana DOP
Formai de Mut dell’Alta Valle Brembana DOP is a semi-cured cheese made exclusively from whole cow’s milk. There are two typologies: Prodotto a fondovalle (produced in the valley) and Prodotto in alpeggio (produced in the mountain pastures); both may carry the term “Riserva” on their labels if the cheese is matured for more than six months.
Gorgonzola DOP
Gorgonzola DOP is a soft cheese with blue-green and/or gray-blue veins due to the marbling process, made from pasteurized whole cow’s milk from the production area. It is divided into spicy (small and medium forms) and sweet (large forms).
Grana Padano DOP
Grana Padano DOP is a hard, slow-ripening cheese made from cows’ milk that is milked twice a day or from cows that are milked with free access to an automatic milking system and fed green or canned local fodder.
Montasio DOP
Montasio DOP is a hard boiled cheese made exclusively from cow’s milk. Depending on the ripening period, it is divided into four types: fresco, mezzano, stagionato and stravecchio.
Monte Veronese DOP
Monte Veronese DOP is a semi-cured cheese made from whole cow’s milk of the Whole Milk or partially skimmed Allevo type. Milk is obtained from the breeds of Frisona, Bruna and Pezzata Rossa.
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP is a fresh stretched cheese made from the fresh milk of the Italian Mediterranean buffalo breed.
Mozarella Gioia del Colle DOP
Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle PDO is a fresh pasty cheese made from whole cow’s milk containing whey starter. It comes in three different forms: spheroidal, knotty and braided.
Murazzano DOP
Murazzano DOP is a full-fat fresh cheese made from Lange sheep’s milk, pure or mixed sheep’s milk in a minimum amount of 60% with the possible addition of cow’s milk in a maximum amount of 40%.
Ossola DOP
Ossolano DOP is a semi-cured and hard cheese obtained exclusively from whole cow’s milk, produced from Brown, Friesian, Red Pezzata cows and their crossbreeds. If produced from June 1 to September 30 with milk obtained from pastures at least 1,400 m above sea level, the mention “d’Alpe” is added.
Nostrano Valtrompia DOP
Nostrano Valtrompia DOP is a semi-fat extra-hard cheese aged for at least 12 months and made from raw cow’s milk from the production area. At least 90% of the milk must come from brown cows that are fed fresh pasture in the summer or hay at other times of the year.
Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
Parmigiano Reggiano DOP is a hard, cooked and unpressed cheese made from raw cow’s milk obtained from animals reared in the production area and fed mainly with local forage.
Pecorino Crotonese DOP
Pecorino Crotonese DOP is a hard, semi-cured cheese made in fresh, semi-hard, aged and grated form, obtained exclusively from whole sheep’s milk from animals reared in the area of production.
Pecorino delle Balze Volterane DOP
Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane DOP is a cheese obtained by processing raw sheep’s milk from Sardinian sheep reared in the production area and vegetable rennet obtained from the flowers of thistles or wild thistles. According to the ripening period, four types are distinguished: Fresco, Semi-aged, Aged, Acerbo.
Pecorino di Filiano DOP
Pecorino di Filiano PDO is a hard cheese made from whole sheep’s milk from animals of the Gentile di Puglia, Gentile di Lucania, Leccese, Comisana, Sarda and their crossbreeds.
Pecorino di Picinisco DOP
Pecorino di Picinisco is an important dairy product with a very ancient origin for Lazio. Raw milk cheese and raw paste, coagulated with rennet enzyme in steam from lamb and goats and without the addition of lactic acid enzymes. Milk is obtained from sheep of the Sopravissan, Komizan, Masese breeds and their crossbreeds. Pecorino di Picinisco has a cylindrical shape, with flat faces, a thin yellow or yellow-brown skin. The paste has a compact structure or light-white or straw-yellow holes. The taste ranges from sweet to intense, with a tendency towards spicy. The ripening period varies from 30 to 60 days.
Pecorino Romano DOP
Pecorino Romano DOP is a hard cooked cheese typical of the Lazio region. Pecorino Romano DOP is produced exclusively from fresh whole sheep’s milk and lamb’s rennet. A well-known hero of the traditional cuisine of central Italy, it is excellent on its own or as an ingredient in many traditional regional dishes.
Pecorino Sardo DOP
Sheep’s cheese, one of the most famous in Sardinia, can boast among its ancestors the island’s dairy products, which date back to the end of the 18th century. Since 1991, it has had a designation of origin, the first major consecration of a typical cheese particularly representative of the Sardinian panorama, and a protected designation of origin in Europe since 1996. Pecorino Sardo DOP in two types, Sweet and Maturo, is produced exclusively in Sardinia. Whole sheep’s milk, inoculated with lactic acid starters from the place of origin and coagulated with calf rennet, gives the cheese mass, which after half-cooking is placed in cylindrical molds, blown with the right amount of whey, salted and matured for a short period, from 20 to 60 days, to obtain the Pecorino type Sardo Dolce, while a maturation time of more than 2 months requires Pecorino Sardo Maturo. Cylindrical cheese with flat faces and a straight or slightly convex heel has differences in the two types associated with some technological features.
Pecorino Siciliano DOP
Pecorino Siciliano DOP is the oldest cheese in Europe. It has been protected since 1955, and in 1996 it received a protected designation of product origin. With a slightly spicy taste and a charming aroma. Its taste is characteristic, the aroma is intense. Sicilian pecorino in picurino is a cheese made exclusively from raw sheep’s milk in Sicily.
Pecorino Toscano DOP
Pecorino Toscano DOP is a soft or semi-hard cheese made from whole sheep’s milk and veal rennet; It is divided into two types: “tender” (minimum ripening period of 20 days) and “mature” (minimum ripening period of four months). It is produced throughout Tuscany and some neighboring municipalities in the provinces of Viterbo, Lazio and in the provinces of Perugia and Terni in Umbria from sheep reared semi-extensively on open pastures rich in herbs and essences that produce the cheese. unique taste. It has a sweetish taste, the peculiarity of which is due to both the method of treatment with veal rennet and the duration of salting, which is much shorter than that of other pecorino cheeses. However, organoleptic and sensory properties remain variable due to the feeding of sheep in a very large and diverse area, which extends from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea. The proteins of Pecorino Toscano DOP are noble, as in all cheeses, and rich in essential amino acids such as lysine. The content of calcium, the main element for human health, which is contained in Pecorino cheese in significant quantities (about 1%) and in a form that is well absorbed, stands out. Just 30 g of pecorino can cover approximately 30% of an adult woman’s daily need for calcium. It is worth noting the limited salt content (less than 2%), compared to other types of mature cheeses. Thanks to the feeding of sheep on natural pastures and green fodder rich in tocopherol and carotene, the content of vitamin A in milk increases, which passes into the fat fraction of cheese; therefore, consumption of Pecorino Toscano DOP cheese can contribute to the achievement of vitamin A requirements. During the ripening of the cheese, bioactive peptides (small groups of amino acids smaller than proteins) are formed, which play a variety of beneficial roles in our body, including those that have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory function. The concentration of bioactive peptides in cheese is influenced by many factors, such as processing conditions (heating of milk), the use of leavening agents in production, and the stage of cheese maturation. Like all PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin), it must comply with strict production rules, guaranteeing the consumer the perfection of the product. It can be recognized by its shapes thanks to the applied brand and on the label thanks to the logo of the European Union DOP and the special logo of the Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Toscano DOP, represented by the head of a sheep with a green outline inside a circle with a double green and red outline.
Piacentino Ennesse DOP
The meaning of the name of this cheese causes a lot of controversy. According to some, “Piacentinu” means “cheese that likes (piace)”, while others say that it means “cheese that cries (piange)”, because fresh forms sometimes contain drops of whey. It can also mean a cheese “for ripening”, like the hard cheeses of northern Italy, as “piacentino” is the traditional name for these cheeses. In fact, although the current trend is to eat it fresh, Piacentinu Ennese is well adapted to a long maturation process. Its most obvious characteristic is the abundant addition of wild saffron to the curd mass, which gives it a unique color and taste. The sheep used for its production eat mainly vetch, a leguminous plant that gives the milk a special taste.
Piave DOP
Piave DOP cheese was born in the province of Belluno, on the border of the Belluno Dolomites National Park, where the forage rich in flowers gives the milk special organoleptic characteristics.
Piave PDO Vecchio is a hard, compact cooked cheese characterized by a crumbly and soluble structure. The skin, smooth and even, has an intense yellow color, and the straw-colored dough is distinguished by thin scales and the absence of holes. Aging for more than 180 days gives Piave PDO Vecchio a strong fruity flavor that makes it unmistakable.
Provolone del Monaco DOP
Provolone del Monaco is an extraordinary stretched cheese still made by hand in Campania, in the 13 municipalities of the province of Naples, in the area of the Lattari mountains that separate Sorrento from Capri, with raw milk from cows and goats of the local Agherolese breed. rennet and veal. After the initial phase in brine, it is left to mature for a long time, almost up to 2 years. Since Agerolese milk is rare and valuable, if it is not enough, it is possible to supplement the necessary amount with milk from other breeds, but always grown and fed in the same area.
Its production has ancient origins and owes its interesting name to the heavy cloaks that shepherds wore to protect themselves from the cold when they descended from the Lattari mountains to Naples to sell their cheese, thus looking like real monks, hence the name Provolone. del Monaco.
It has a compact texture, but with a “buttery” feel on the palate, with a slightly spicy taste and aroma and a very long shelf life. Great as a table cheese, it also goes very well with first courses, such as the typical aubergine pasta and Provolone del Monaco, definitely worth a try!
Provolone Valpadana DOP
Provolone Valpadana DOP is a semi-hard, stretched cheese made in sweet and spicy versions. It is produced from whole raw milk of cows grown exclusively in the provinces of Cremona, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Rovigo, Padua, Piacenza and the surrounding municipalities in the territories of Bergamo, Mantua, Milan and Trento.
Created in the south, this cheese spread in the Po valley only after the unification of Italy, thanks to the activities of the Margotta brothers, Gennaro Auricchio and Giovanni Carbonelli, who introduced it to the lower part of Brescia, the Cremona area and Lodi, respectively. region.
Differing in its large size compared to other stretched cheeses, provolone can take on different shapes: salami, melon, conical, pear, even crowned with a spherical head. The paste is obtained by coagulating milk with the addition of veal rennet for sweet production or lamb and/or goat rennet for spicy type. Then it is spun, shaped, salted and seasoned.
Puzzone di Moena DOP
Made from raw milk, Puzzone di Moena Dop is a semi-hard and semi-cured cheese with a moist rind. Its specific name comes from its very intense aroma, which is due to the practice of “washing” carried out during ripening.
Product characteristics Puzzone di Moena is produced exclusively in social dairies in the Fiemme, Fassa and Primiero valleys. It is a cheese with a protected designation of origin. Those produced with milk from mountain pastures and aged for at least 120 days are protected by the Presidium of Slow Food. couples The cows that give milk intended for the production of Puzzone di Moena are fed non-genetically modified products. This cheese, completely free of additives and preservatives, is the perfection of Trentino, which you can enjoy both during a meal – accompanied by black bread – and as a snack together with cold meats produced in our valleys.
Quartirolo Lombardo DOP
Quartirolo Lombardo is a soft unprocessed cheese. It has the shape of a quadrangular parallelepiped with a side of 18 to 22 cm, a height of 4 to 8 cm and a weight of 1.5 to 3.5 kg. The ripening period ranges from 5 days, for a fresh and ready-to-eat product, to 30 days or more for a “ripe” product. It has a thin and soft skin, pinkish-white, which becomes gray-green as it ripens. The paste, white or straw-colored, is firm and has the typical slightly lumpy and crumbly consistency with small flakes, but it becomes more compact, soft and easy-melting over time; the taste is aromatic with characteristic sourness
Ragusano DOP
The pearl of Sicilian gastronomy, Ragusano Dop is one of the oldest Sicilian cheeses. With a rich history, noteworthy nutritional values and different ages, it is wonderful on its own, but very tasty in many Sicilian recipes, which together with the cheese acquire advantages.
It is a stretched cheese, the shape of which resembles a parallelepiped. Its color is golden yellow. The stamp of the dairy product of origin and the stamp of the quality certificate are applied to the surface. It has a smooth and thin crust, while the paste is white and compact, tending to a straw-yellow color.
It is produced from whole raw cow’s milk in late autumn, winter and spring – particularly from November to May – or when there is an abundance of green fodder. It is characterized by a pleasant and easily recognizable aroma, it has a sweet and delicate taste, but not very tasty, on the contrary. After the end of the seasoning, it becomes even tastier and gravitates towards spiciness. As for its nutritional value, the product contains about 375 calories per 100 grams of weight; just over 30 g of fat and 28.4 g of protein.
Raschera DOP
Rushera is the name of an alpine hut in the municipality of Magliano Alpi in the province of Cuneo. Rusher’s cheese is usually square because in the past its shape made it easier to fit in the saddles of the mules that carried it up the valley. As with another Piedmontese cheese, Sora, the outer shape bears traces of the cloth that was used to squeeze it after it was rolled. Alpine Hut cheeses can be distinguished by the letter “a” inserted into the “r” of the brand.
Ricotta di Bufala Campana DOP
Is one of the best Eccellenze Campane, which is the envy of the whole world. It is made on the basis of whey from the production of buffalo mozzarella. It is packed in paper, and then inserted into polystyrene food packaging. The delicacy is characterized only by white color and high creaminess.
Ricotta Romana DOP
Romana ricotta is still produced throughout the Lazio region with natural grazing, guaranteeing its traditional quality. It is obtained exclusively from the whey of whole sheep’s milk used to make pecorino cheese, and only from sheep and crossbreeds in the territory of Lazio, such as Sarda, Komisana, Sopravisana and Masese. Their milk has a characteristic pale yellow color and aspects that guarantee the excellent qualities of ricotta, not least not less than 3.55% lactose. Whey is formed as a result of crushing the cheese mass, which itself is part of the production of pecorino cheese. Ricotta or “ricotta” refers to the reheating of what is left after making cheese (the sale of primary cheese). The remaining liquid is heated to 85-90°C and gently turned over, traditionally with a special wooden stick, which helps the whey to coagulate. When this happens, small flakes of milk gently rise to the top and collect in the “canestretti bucati”, or molds that help the whey to drain. The result is a ricotta that has a very fine and creamy consistency, a pronounced white color, and a delicate and sweet taste that distinguishes it from any other type of ricotta (such as cow’s ricotta). It should be consumed fresh and stored for no more than 3-5 days at a temperature of 4°C.
Robiola di Roccaverano DOP
Roccaverano DOP or Robiola di Roccaverano DOP is a soft cheese made from pure whole goat’s milk. The milk must come from Roccaverano and Camosciata Alpina goats and their crosses. It is divided into fresh and refined or seasoned.
DOP Silter
Silter cheese, whose Italian name is Casera (room where aging takes place), was once an important source of food for the inhabitants of the Val Camonica mountains. The first reports of the productive activity of this cheese date back to the late 1600s. Silter Cheese is made only from the milk of cows grown exclusively in the Valle Camonica and Cebino Bresciano territories.
Spressa delle Giudicarie DOP
Spressa delle Giudicarie DOP is produced in the province of Trento, including many communities in the Giudicari valleys. The cheese has a cylindrical shape with an irregular, elastic skin of a dark ocher color. Semi-cooked cheese, compact and elastic, white or pale straw-yellow in color. Young cheese has a rather sweet taste, while mature cheese is much more piquant, with a slight bitterness. To best enjoy the cheese’s flavor, it’s best eaten when it’s not too hard, and it’s a great addition to traditional recipes like polenta and pasta carbonara. The cheese goes best with a red wine, a local wine such as Marzemino DOC from southern Trentino.
Squacquerone di Romagna DOP
Breeds of cattle for milk production are Italian Friesian, Alpine Bora and Romagnola. To ensure the production and maturation of squacquerone di Romagna Dop, local lactic acid bacteria are added to the milk by natural inoculation. The curd obtained with the use of liquid veal rennet is formed, which consists in unloading the curd into special perforated molds. This is followed by salting in brine and ripening, which takes place over a period of 1 to 4 days at a temperature of 3-6°C. When entering the market, squacquerone di Romagna Dop weighs from 1 hectogram to 2 kg; it has a white, pearly paste, without skin or rind, and a fat percentage of 46% to 55%. The taste is pleasant, sweet, with acidity, saltiness is present, but not noticeable; delicate aroma, typically milky, with a grassy note; soft and creamy consistency, spreads easily.
Stelvio o Stilfser DOP
It got its name from the Stelvio National Park and was first mentioned in 1914 at the Alpine Pass dairy. Its production was so important that it had a significant impact on the whole of Alto Adige. Important organoleptic characteristics largely depend on the fact that the milk comes from farms, even very small ones, located at an altitude of 500 to 2000 meters.
Milk is inoculated with lactic acid starters and digested with calf rennet. The rennet cheese is broken and, while stirring, brought to half-boil at a low temperature with the addition of hot water to the cauldron. The extracted paste is placed in molds where the first pressing takes place. The second pressing takes place in the forms. This is followed by stewing and salting in brine.
Strachitunt DOP
Strachitunt is a cheese of the Strakino family, has a cylindrical shape and weighs about 6 kg. The skin is thin, wrinkled, yellowish in color, turning to gray with prolonged ripening. The cake is compact, marbled, straw-white in color with bluish-green streaks from marbling. The taste is aromatic and intense, varies from sweet to spicy and can become more pronounced as it ripens. The aroma is characteristic of blue cheeses, first with light milk notes, then metallic notes prevail. The taste is aromatic and intense, varies from sweet to spicy depending on the degree of ripeness, aromatic and melting with a pleasant herbal aftertaste
Taleggio DOP
Taleggio is a protected designation of origin (DOP) cheese of Lombardy origin, belonging to the stracchino category. The name comes from the valley of the same name in the upper part of Bergamo, where he was born (Val Taleggio).
It is a fatty unprocessed cheese, made from whole cow’s milk, has a sweet, buttery taste, which acquires piquant notes only after ripening. Has a very light acidity, slightly aromatic, sometimes with a truffle taste; the smell is characteristic.
In the kitchen, it has many uses: as an ingredient, for preparing first courses, second courses and salads, and is also ideal for polenta. It is served at room temperature to enhance its flavor and aroma, and stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth or paper that allows it to breathe.
Toma Piemontese DOP
The designation of protected origin “Toma Piemontese” was officially established in 1993, bringing together a number of Piedmontese tomas that were previously known by the names of their places of origin (however, some tomas still retain their specific characteristics and name). For this reason, Toma Piemontese DOP has more than a single, well-defined physiognomy, but represents a family of products with different characteristics, which vary from the use of both full-fat and skimmed milk (subsequently subdivided into full-fat or semi-fat toma ) and sufficient freedom of size and external appearance However, milk must be exclusively cow’s milk.
Valle d’Aosta Fromadzo DOP
This is a classic low-fat alpine cow’s milk cheese from the Valle d’Aosta autonomous region in northwestern Italy. The area is best known for its Fontina, but Fromadzo is also considered a symbolic expression of the land and culture of this mountainous region.
Valtellina Casera DOP
The history of Valtellina Casera is closely related to the expansion of social dairy farms in the province of the northern city of Sondrio. The first documented dairy farms date back to 1500 and confirm the ancient origin of this cheese. In the following centuries, dairy farms were expanded in all districts and became a center of reference and a school of common life for all its members. As for the name “Casera” from the Latin CASEUS, it refers to the typical cellar in Valtellina where the traditional cheese is kept for ripening.
Consumption
Valtellina Casera is a delicious delicate ingredient to add to salads and many other dishes. It can also be eaten on its own, especially after early ripening, perhaps accompanied by red wine.
Vastedda of the Belice Valley DOP
Vastedda della Valle del Belìce PDO is a cheese made from raw whole sheep’s milk obtained from Valle del Belìce sheep that grazed on pastures or were fed fresh fodder, hay, straw or other fresh plant material.