cheese of italy

8/7/2019 Cheese of italy

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DECLARATION

I HEMANT CHOPRA, hereby declare that this project CHEESES OF

ITALY, based on my area of specialization is based on the original study and analysis

conducted by me under the guidance of my F & B Production faculty Mr. Paul.

This has not been submitted earlier for the award or any other degree by the Bangalore

University or any other University.

_______________________

_

PLACE: HEMANT CHOPRA

DATE:


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Principal Mr. Sridhar and our

faculty guide Mr. Paul for the valuable inputs provided during the course of the project.

I would also like to express my heartful gratitude to the management and the staff of my

college and my seniors without whose help the project would not have been possible.

________________________

_

HEMANT CHOPRA


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RESEARCH DESIGN

The project has been based on the survey and analysis of the different types of

cheeses that are produced in Italy and used in Italian Cuisine

The Cheeses at one of the most important ingredient that is used in the preparation

on Italian dishes, they contribute both the flavor and some times to the texture of the dish.

This project has been made by doing a survey in different outlets and also with different

gourmet specialty companies.

Research done here has made me come out with few suggestions after

understanding the use of the cheeses. There are certain specific equipments required to

get the best possible outcomes out of these ingredients. Only best quality Italian cheesesr

with proper usage will give the best result.


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OBJECTIVES

1. To have an overview of the different types of cheeses in Italy.

2. To study different cheeses in detail.

3. To study the importance, influence and popularity of the different Italian Cheeses.

4. To gain required information so as to provide a detailed project report.


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LIMITATIONS

1. Since cheeses of Italy, as a topic, as understood carries a lot of information, all

information could not be collected.

2. Some part of the project is based on theoretical and not practical bases.

There was a time constrain in data collection from the different sources


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INDEX

CHAPTER I ITALY: AN INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER II HISTORY OF ITALIAN CUISINE

CHAPTER III ORIGION OF CHEESE

CHAPTER IV TYPES OF CHEESES

CHAPTER V CHEESES OF ITALY

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION & SUGGESTION

CHAPTER V BIBLIOGRAPHY


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ITALY: AN INTRODUCTION

Europes kinky over the knee boot has it all: popes, painters, polenta, paramours,

poets, political puerility and potentates. Its three millennia of history, culture

and cuisine seduce just about everyone. In Italy you can visit Roman ruins,

gawk at Renaissance art, stay in tiny medieval hill towns, go skiing in the alps,

explore the canals of Venice and see more beautiful churches than you imaged

could exist in one country. Naturally you can also indulge in the more

elementary pleasures of enjoying food and wine, improving and wardrobe and

seeking out la dolce vita.

Full Country Name : Italian Republic

Area : 301,250 sq. km (117,487 sq. mi)

Population : 57.6 million

Capital City : Rome (pop 3.6 million)

Languages : Standard Italian and Numerous dialects,

German, French Slovene

Currency : Lira

Religions : 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Jewish &

Protestant

Government : Republic

Prime Minister : Silvio Berlusconi

GDP : US $ 1.8 trillion

GDP Per Head : US $ 20,800

Annual Growth : 1.5%


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Inflation : 1.8%

Major Industries : Tourism, Engineering, Textiles,

Chemicals, Food Processing, Motor

Vehicles, Clothing and Footwear

Major Trader Partners : E.U. (especially Germany, France, UK,

Spain, Netherlands), USA

Member of EU : Yes

Euro Zone Participant : Yes

CULTURE

Dubbed the worlds living art gallery, Italy has more culture than you shake a

baton, paintbrush, quill or chisel at. Whether its a broken pillar rising up

through the linoleum floor of a train station or a baroque church overlooking a

cracked antique pediment in the forum, history and culture surround you.

Outside there are Etruscan tombs, Greek temples, cat-infested Roman ruins,

Moorish architecture and statue filled baroque fountains to gawp at, inside, you

swoon to Roman sculptures, Byzantine mosaics, beatific Madonnas from Giotto

to Titian, gargantuan baroque tombs and trompe loeil ceilings.

Writers from Virgil, Ovid, Horace, Livy and Cicero to Dante, Petrarch,

Boccaccio, Ficino, Mirandola and Vasari all sprang from Italian loins. The

Italians were no slouches when it came to music, either, as they invented both the

piano and our system of musical notation, as well as producing Monteverdi,

Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Verdi, Puccini, Bellini and Rossini. Cinema would not be the

same without Italys Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Magnani, Gina Lollobrigida,


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Sophia Loren and directors Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini, Frederico

Fellini, Michelangelo Antiunion and Bernardo Bertolucci.

Modern literary Italian appeared in the 13th and 14th centuries, developing out

of its Latin heritage, the countrys many dialects and the works of Dante,

Petrarch and Boccaccion, who wrote chiefly in the Florentine dialect. Though

over 80% of the population professes to be Catholic, the number of people who

actually practice the religion is surprisingly low: an average of only 25% attends

Mass regularly. However, saints days, first communions and religious festivals

never fail to attract large crowds.

Italys many regional cuisine, while remaining distinctive to their regions of

origin, have undergone a pan-Italian fusion in the hands of chefs both popular

pricey, evolving into a unique cuisine that is justifiably world famous. Cooking

styles vary notably, from the rich and creamy dishes of the north to the hot and

spicy specialties of the south. Northern Emilia-Romagna has produced the best

known dishes spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and tortellini-and is also home to

the best prosciutto and mortadella. Liguria is the home of pesto, that mainstay of

cafs worldwide Spectacular vegetable and pasta dishes feature just as

predominantly as seafood and exotic meats anyone for frog rissotto, donkey steak

or entrail pudding ? Desserts cassata, cannoli, zabaglione, granita and marzipan

come into their own in Sicily, while Sardinia is famous for its spit roasted piglet.

Coffee, beer and wine are of course magnificent countrywide.


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ENVIRONMENT

Italys instantly recognizable boot shape kicks its way into the Adriatic, Ionian,

Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas all of which form part of the Mediterranean sea.

From west to east, France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia form a rugby scrum

to the north. The islands of Elba, Sardinia, Ischia, Capri, the Aeolians and Sicily

lie offshore.

Mountains feature prominently in Italys topgraphy and bolster its landlocked

borders all the way from Genoa in the west to Trieste in the east. Italys

backbone is formed by the Apennines, extending from Genoa right down to

the soccer ball that bounces off the toe of Calabria : Sicily.

The Po River Valley in the countries northeast forms the largest lowland area,

and is heavily populated and industr ialized as a result. Underground

rambunctious is on Sicily and the devastation wrought by earthquakes, especially

fierce in 1908 and 1980. Beauty abounds in Italy but, unfortunately, so does

pollution, particularly in the big cities and along the coast.

A couple of millennia of human occupation, coupled with the locals love of

hunting, have extinguished many animal species once endemic to Italy. You

might spot a brown bear or a lynx if youre lucky, and the Alpine regions are still

home to wolves, marmots, chamois and deer. Mouflon sheep and wild boars and

cats can be found on Sardinia, while in the skies, falcons, hawks and golden

eagles dodge the hunters birdshot.


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Italys climate varies from north to south from lowland to mountain top. Winters

are long and severe in the Alps, with now failing as early as mid-September. The

northern regions experience chilly winters and hot summers, while conditions

become milder as you head south. The sirocco, the hot and humid African wind

that affects regions south of Rome, produces at least a couple of stiflingly hot

weeks in summer.

Italy consists of 19 states or regions. They are as follows :


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Northern Italy

1. Lombardy

2. Emilia Romagna.

3. Piedmont.

4. Val d Aosta

5. Trentino / Alto Adige

6. Frinli / Venezia Ginlia.

7. Venice

8. Liguria

Southern Italy

1. Sicily

2. Calabria

3. Basilicata

4. Apulia / Puglia

5. Campania

Eastern Italy

1. Apulia

2. Molise

3. Abruzzi

4. Marche

Western Italy

1. Tuscany

2. Umbria

3. Lazio / Rome

4. Sardinia


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Italian Cuisine

Cuisine is definitely a very important aspect of Italian culture. Italian food is highly

famed: greatly loved and tirelessly imitated the world over, it has been a source of

endless pleasure and joie-de-vivre in countries far and wide. And everyone knows how a

tired, depressed individual will react if they come across a sign for Italian dining in the

midst of a busy, industrial city anywhere in the world: their hearts will quite simply will

glow.

Italian cookery is exceptionally varied, nutritious and healthy; traditions have been

handed down from one family to the next over the centuries, and are associated mainly

with country life in that dishes are directly linked to what the Earth produces over the

changing seasons: in other words, wholesome cooking whose goodness depends on all-

natural ingredients. Italian cooking is full of marvelous single pasta dishes made with all

types of vegetables and pulses. These are also the prime ingredients for many local

specialties though countless types of meat dishes abound, as well as fine fish from the

plentiful seas around the peninsula, fragrant cheeses and exceptional desserts. But the

undisputed star of Italian dining is the famous first course, in all its many varieties,

including pasta dry or in broth, soups, many kinds of noodle soups and minestrones,

risottos and timbales.

It must always be remembered that generally speaking, the origins of the most widely

known traditional dishes derive from humble peasant cooking and from what was eaten

by the poorer classes, which over the years have transformed into veritable specialities:


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one only has to think of soups made from stale bread and vegetables, such as the

ribollita or the acquacotta from Tuscany, and many more recipes containing fairly

modest ingredients that have nonetheless become absolute classics of Italian cookery.

All of this goes to show that the goodness of any dish depends above all on the magical

combination (always unique) achieved through an unrepeatable fusion of flavours and

aroma, cooking times and the balancing of single ingredients, individual creative skills

and care taken over all stages of preparation. At times all thats needed in cookery is a

single detail or a tiny touch to transform an ordinary dish by normal standards into a

veritable triumph of taste. Passion therefore is a fundamental requisite of Italian cooking

and without it, as with life in general, not much can be achieved. Regardless of any local

differences, the most classic dishes in Italian cookery are kept alive across the nation, and

are turned into more sophisticated delicacies when spiced up with a fuller range of

ingredients by the skilful hand of a creative chef.

ORIGINS OF ITALIAN CUISINE

Magna Grecia and the Etruscans

The history of Italian cooking begins with Magna Grecia, where the culture of the Greek

colonies popularized the art of cooking. The daily meal was simple and sober: pork,

salted fish, chickpeas, lentils, lupins, olive pickles, and dried figs. At banquets the food

was more varied and plentiful: soups, game in vinegar and honey sauces, sweets with

almonds and walnuts; it also took on ritual and symbolic meanings. The Etruscans too

had a simple diet based on the cereals favored by the fertile region of present-day


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Tuscany. The richest Etruscans were particularly fond of food excellence and the

pleasures of dining.

Roman Cuisine in the Republican Era

Romans of the Republican Era were a sober people of frugal dietary habits: they usually

had two meals a day, prandium and supper. The custom of a breakfast of cereal, honey,

dried fruit, and cheese was gradually introduced. For a long time, the most widely

consumed foods were boiled cereals (a kind of mush), legumes such as broad beans,

lentils, chickpeas, lupins, vegetables of various types, bread, and cake. The diet also

included fish, game from the hunt (which was eaten only on festive days), milk, cheese,

and fruit. Romans of that time did not raise livestock.

Roman Cuisine in the Imperial Age

The Romans in the Imperial Age had two main daily meals, but they often added a

breakfast of bread soaked in wine, grapes, olives, milk, and eggs. The midday meal was a

light affair of cold dishes. Dinner was the main meal: a feast of hoer d'oeuvres (mixed

seafood) followed by game, pork, veal, goat, fowl, fish, and sweets with a honey base,

fresh and dried fruit. Meals were accompanied by sweets and aromatic wines.

Cuisine in the Middle Ages

The cuisine of the Barbarians who invaded Italy from the 5th century AD was

considerably different from that of the Romans; it was based on roast meats, stuffed

pastries, and oven-baked pies. For the Italian population reduced to poverty and

servitude, food was rather poor and consisted of cereals, milk, cheese, and vegetables.

Gradually, culinary art began a revival, especially after 1000 AD, in the agricultural

centers around the monasteries where the famished and terrorized population had taken


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refuge. The general tendency was to make food healthier, more appetizing and digestible,

eliminating elaborate preparation and introducing more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Gastronomical Revival in the Feudal Courts

Around 1200 AD, life in the courts became less difficult, commerce and social life

resumed, and the feudal lords organized frequent celebrations, feasts, and tournaments.

However, important meals had no variety or cohesion. Endless dishes of roast meats were

seasoned with a sauce made of garlic, herbs, sweetmeats, and almonds. The dinner ended

with cheese and fruit. . There was little change from the Roman cuisine; however, spices

made their appearance from the East in greater quantity. Their exotic aroma was used to

scent the food - a prelude to future cuisine refinements.

The Spice Trade

Although there had been a spice trade during the Early Middle Ages, it really intensified

after the Crusades with the direct contact of Europeans in the Arab world. Spices were

very much in demand for cooking and medicine. They had other more practical and

important qualities: the preservation of meat and fish, and the flavoring of otherwise

bland foods.

The Culinary Discoveries of Great Explorers

Among the many goods brought to Europe and Italy by the explorers there were some

foods whose importance was understood only in later times. Maize was widespread in

North Italy. at the time of the great famines of the 17th century, became the base for the

most common dish. Other imported foods were potatoes, tomatoes, and beans. Rice,

imported from Asia, was an instant success and joined the pasta as the nation's first

course. Venetian merchants imported sugar from the Orient, which initially was used in


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medicine; only later it was added to cooking. Coffee, of Turkish origin, was also initially

used as a medicine.

Cuisine in the Renaissance

The 15th and 16th centuries were a particularly fortunate time for Italian cuisine. A

greater variety became available in the preparation of foods: soups, grilled, roasted, and

boiled meats; meat pastries, fish, vegetables, olive oil, refined salads, almond-based

sweets, pine-nuts, and candied fruits; cane sugar began to replace honey. Renaissance

court banquets were famous for their grandiose variety and refinement. The food of the

common people remained rather simple: beans, lentils, chickpeas, buckwheat (used to

prepare soups and porridges), eggs, cheese, and mutton.

Culinary Art and Etiquette in the Renaissance

Italian cuisine reigned supreme from the end of the middle Ages to the 17th century and

had a notable influence abroad. In particular, Catherine de' Medici popularized Italian

recipes (especially sweets and ice cream) in France when she married King Henry II. It

was also in this period that the first menus and table manners were established. Italians

were the educators of Europe, and the famous 'Galateo' by Monsignor Della Casa was

quickly translated and distributed throughout Europe. The principal innovation was the

use of individual cutlery.

Cuisine in the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries

In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the upper classes enjoyed a refined cuisine. Every

official event became a pretext for sumptuous feasts. Meals were abundant, hors

d'oeuvres and delicate French-style soups were followed by numerous meat and fish

dishes, vegetable purees, intricate sweets and fruit - all presented with the utmost care,

particularly in the restaurants. Still, the food of the common people remained frugal and


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monotonous, based on bread and vegetable soups, beans, cabbages, and potatoes. Cheese

and eggs were very much used, as were polenta and pasta, which were made of flour and

eggs.

Foreign influence and the spread of new Foods

From the 17th to the 19th century many new dishes arrived from France:

consomms crepes, purees, jellies, gravies, and delicate, tasty sauces such as mayonnaise

and bchamel. The presentation of food was very important, and its execution was of

great refinement. Even English cooking became accepted with such typical dishes as

roast beef, pudding and, above all, tea, although it was less popular than coffee and

chocolate. In fact, coffee became so popular as to give rise to the coffeehouses, or cafs.

20th Century Cuisine

In the last few decades, Italian cuisine has changed as a result of rapid and profound

changes in lifestyle. The involvement of industry in the food sector, and subsequent

improvements in preparation, conservation, and distribution of foods, has increased the

production of foods worldwide. However, Italian cooking has preserved its quality, and

Italy is still a country of noble culinary tradition.


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A traditional Italian menu consists of:

1. antipasto - hot or cold appetizers

2. primo ("first course"), usually consists of a hot dish like pasta,

risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup. There are usually abundant

vegetarian options.

3. secondo ("second course"), the main dish, usually fish or meat

(pasta is never the main course of a meal). Traditionally veal is

the most commonly used meat, at least in the North, though

beef has become more popular since World War II and wild

game is very popular, particularly in Tuscany.

4. contorno ("side dish") may consist of a salad or vegetables. A

traditional menu features salad after the main course.

5. dolce ("dessert")

6. caff ("coffee") (espresso)

7. liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro, limoncello) sometimes

referred to as ammazzacaff ("Coffee killer")

One notable and often surprising aspect of an Italian meal, especially if eaten in an Italian

home, is that the primo, or first course, is usually the more filling dish, providing most of

the meal's carbohydrates, and will consist of either risotto or pasta (both being excellent

sources). The secondo, or second course, which in French or British cuisine really is the

main course, is often scant in comparison. The exception to this tends to be in Tuscany,

where a traditional menu would see soup served as a primo and a hefty meat dish as the

secondo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetizerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risottohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnocchihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polentahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuscanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espressohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grappahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaro_(drink)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncellohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammazzacaff%C3%A8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risottohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnocchihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polentahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuscanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espressohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grappahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaro_(drink)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncellohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammazzacaff%C3%A8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetizer


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Cooking techniques

Owing to its peasant roots, classic Italian cooking is inherently simple, and the cooking

techniques used therein are those that were accessible to people who worked long hours

and had limited resources. This explains the absence of dishes that include elements such

as fine pastry or delicate saucesthings which require long, close attention and precise

temperatures.

The most common techniques in Italian cooking are:

Boiling or simmering: food is cooked in hot water. Examples of this include

pastas, rice, vegetables, and tough but flavorful cuts of meat.

Pan frying: food is quickly cooked in a small amount of very hot fatbutter or

vegetable oil. This is what we commonly think of as sauting. Although some

dishes are cooked in larger amounts of oilsay, an inch or twodeep-fat frying,

which requires a large amount of (expensive) oil is rare.

Braising: food is browned in hot fat, then cooked in a moderate amount of

flavored liquid (wine, broth or vegetable juice), most often with aromatic

vegetables and other seasonings. A good example of braising is Osso Buco [1],

braised veal shanks. In some respects, risotto is a braised dish; though similar to

braising, its method of preparation is entirely unique.

Pan roasting: similar to braising, the food is initially browned in hot fat; it is then

cooked in a small amount of liquidjust enough to keep it moist. This is most
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Osso_Bucohttp://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Osso_Buco


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often used for chicken, rabbit, and certain cuts of pork and vealflavorful cuts of

meat which are often spit-roasted or, in modern kitchens, oven-rooasted.

Grilling: food is quickly cooked over the embers of a hardwood or charcoal fire.

This is used for tender, well-marbled cuts of beef and pork, small game birds, and,

on the coast, certain kinds of seafood.

One may wonder what about baked goods? As Marcella Hazan notes in The Classic

Italian Cookbook, Reliable ovens are only a recent addition to the Italian kitchen.... As

such, breads and cakes were rarely made in the home but, rather, were purchased from

the local bakery. Dishes which are oven-baked, like pizza or lasagna, usually require no

more than 15-20 minutes baking time to finish. These were traditionally prepared at

home, and then taken to the local bakery for the final baking.

Every town has a distinctive way of making sausage, special kinds of cheese and wine,

and a local type of bread. If you ask people, even in the same area, how to make pasta

sauce, they will all have different answers. Variations in the omnipresent pasta are

another example of this multiplicity: soft egg noodles in the north, hard-boiled spaghetti

in the south, with every conceivable variation in size and shape. Perhaps no other country

in the world has a cooking style so finely fragmented into different divisions. So why is

Risotto typical of Milan, why did Tortellini originate in Bologna, and why is Pizza so

popular in Naples?

This is so for the same reason that Italy has only one unifying Italian language, yet

hundreds of different spoken dialects. Italy is a country of great variety, and cooking is

just another aspect of the diversity of Italian culture.


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This diversity stems largely from peasant heritage and geographical differences. Italy is a

peninsula separated from the rest of the continent by the highest chain of mountains in

Europe. In addition, a long spine of mountains runs north to south down through this

narrow country. These geographic features create a myriad of environments with

noticeable variations: fertile valleys, mountains covered with forests, cool foothills,

naked rocks, Mediterranean coastlines, and arid plains. A great variety of different

climates have also created innumerable unique geographical and historical areas.

But geographical fragmentation alone will not explain how the same country produced all

of these: the rich, fat, baroque food of Bologna, based on butter, parmigiano, and meat;

the light, tasty, spicy cooking of Naples, mainly based on olive oil, mozzarella, and

seafood; the cuisine of Rome, rich in produce from the surrounding countryside; and the

food of Sicily, full of North African influences.

The Romans politically controlled the territory about two thousand years ago, integrated

Greek civilization, and created an empire that laid the foundations of Western

civilization. They imported all kinds of foods from all over the known world. Roman

ships carried essential food, such as wheat and wine, as well as a variety of spices from as

far away as China, to satisfy the Romans appetite for exotic ingredients. Roman cooking

habits fascinated and influenced generations in the centuries that followed. The fall of the

Roman Empire was caused by unstoppable waves of invading peoplebarbarians who

came from as far away as Tibet. They pillaged and destroyed, but they also took with

them new cooking customs. It took centuries before some order was restored and

medieval peoples could begin to rebuild something that could be called a cuisine.


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During medieval times, the absence of a powerful central authority allowed the creation

of many fiercely independent cities. This Comuni, from the Alps to the border of the

Kingdom of Naples, progressed faster than the other European towns of that time in

wealth, and in artistic and intellectual achievements. The cities of northern Italy

developed mostly through the trading of valuable merchandise, such as spices and fabric,

with northern Europe and the East. A rich cuisine developed offering great diversity from

one town to another.

After the decline of the city states, the territory of northern Italy was partially occupied

from time to time by France or Austria, which left additional culinary influences in the

Northeast. The richness of the cities of northern Italy is reflected in particular in the

creation of a culture of fresh pasta. While dry macaroni was an item of mass

production, fresh pasta associated with eggs, cheese, sugar, cream, and other expensive

items was a luxury item. Even though fresh pasta became diffused throughout the

peninsula and outside the borders of Italy, it is in northern Italy that we find the most

spectacular recipes. It is no coincidence that many consider Bologna the gastronomic

capital of Italy.

Tuscany represents a phenomenon by itself in Italian history. Starting from the thirteenth

century, the city of Florence in particular became rich during the evolution of the banking

system. The De Medicis, a family of merchants and bankers, would become patrons of the

arts and would accelerate the movement that became known as Renaissance. It was the

birth of a new way of seeing human beings as controllers of their own destinies. New social

rules were created here and were exported all over Europe, which at that time was on the

verge of great transformations due to the discoveries of the age of exploration. The


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Renaissance initiated a great revolution in the arts, which was also reflected in spectacular

and extravagant new ways of cooking.

While the north would see the creation of many small independent political entities, the

south of Italy remained mostly unified for a long time. Separated from the great trading

routes with northern Europe, the south suffered greater poverty and isolation. The people

of southern Italy made the best of what they had. But it is here, in southern Italy, that

spectacular dishes like spaghetti and pizza, originated. Born as the poor peoples way of

cooking, these dishes were exported by groups of Italian emigrants and disseminated

outside their regions of origin, making them extremely popular everywhere. Dry pasta is

the greatest contribution from southern Italy.

Dry macaroni is suitable for storing, trading, and transporting. The invention of the

bronze press industrialized the manufacturing of pasta, making macaroni affordable.

Present in Sicily since Arab occupation, macaroni became extremely popular in Naples in

the 1700s. It is from there that dry pasta started its journey to conquer the world. Sicilian

history is fascinating for all the different people that occupied the island during different

times. The greatest influence was left by the Muslim occupation that lasted for two

centuries. Muslims contributed greatly to Western cuisine with a variety of foods: rice,

spinach, alcohol, oranges, lemons, apricots, sugar and more. And in Sicily their influence

is still greatly felt today.

Local traditions result from long complex historical developments and strongly influence

local habits. Distinctive cultural and social differences remain present throughout Italy,

although today mass marketing tends to cause a leveling of long-established values. In a


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country so diverse, it is impossible to define an Italian cooking style, but traditional

food still is at the core of the cultural identity of each region, and Italians react with

attachment to their own identity when they are confronted with the tendency toward

flattening their culture.


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Introduction to Cheeses

Cheese is a solid food made from the milkofcows,goats, sheep and othermammals.

Cheese is made by coagulating milk. This is accomplished by first acidification with a

bacterial culture and then employing an enzyme, rennet (or rennet substitutes) to

coagulate the milk to "curds and whey." The precise bacteria and processing of the curds

play a role in defining the texture and flavor of most cheeses. Some cheeses also feature

molds, either on the outerrind or throughout.

Origin

Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive

evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe, Central Asia orthe

Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europeprior to Roman times and,

according to Pliny, had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the Roman Empire

came into being.

Proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE (when sheep

were first domesticated) to around 3000 BCE. The first cheese may have been made by

people in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia. Since animal skins

and inflated internal organs have, since ancient times, provided storage vessels for a

range of foodstuffs, it is likely that the process of cheese making was discovered

accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting
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in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a

legend to this effect, about an Arab nomad carrying milk across the desert.

Cheesemaking may also have begun independent of this by the pressing and salting of

curdled milk in order to preserve it. Observation that the effect of making milk in an

animal stomach gave more solid and better-textured curds, may have led to the deliberate

addition of rennet.

The earliest archaeological evidence of cheesemaking has been found in Egyptian tomb

murals, dating to about 2000 BCE.[3] The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite

sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese orfeta, a crumbly, flavorful

Greek cheese.

Cheese produced in Europe, where climates are cooler than the Middle East, required less

aggressive salting for preservation. In conditions of less salt and acidity, the cheese

became a suitable environment for a variety of beneficial microbes and molds, which are

what give aged cheeses their pronounced and interesting flavors

Types of cheese

Factors in cheese categorization

Factors which are relevant to the categorization of cheeses include:

Length of aging

Texture

Methods of making

Fat content

Kind of milk
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List of common cheese categories

Fresh, whey and stretched curd cheeses

Feta from Greece.

The main factor in the categorization of these cheese is their age. Fresh

cheeses without additional preservatives can spoil in a matter of days

Cheeses classed by texture

Categorizing cheeses by firmness is a common but inexact practice. The

lines between "soft", "semi-soft", "semi-hard", and "hard" are arbitrary,

and many types of cheese are made in softer or firmer variations. The

factor controlling the hardness of a cheese is its moisture content which is

dependent on the pressure with which it is packed into molds and the

length of time it is aged.

Emmentaler Parmigiano reggiano


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Cheeses classed by content

Some cheeses are categorized by the source of the milk used to produce

them or by the added fat content of the milk from which they are

produced. While most of the world's commercially available cheese is

made from cows' milk, many parts of the world also produce cheese from

goats and sheep, well-known examples being Roquefort, produced in

France, and Pecorino Romano, produced in Italy, from ewes's milk.

St. Pat Goat'sMilk Cheese

Moldy cheeses

There are three main categories of cheese in which the presence of mold is a

significant feature: soft ripened cheeses, washed rind cheeses and blue

cheeses. Some of the most renowned cheeses are of this type, each with its

own distinctive color, flavor, texture and smell. They include Roquefort,

Gorgonzola, and Stilton


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CHEESE OF ITALY

For more than six centuries Europe was dominated by the Romans. What begas as a few

farming settelments in the 8th

century B.C grew into the city of Rome. In the 6th

century

B,C Rome became a republic, governed by a senate, which was made up of

reperesantives from the influential families of the day. The Romans set about conquering

the worlds as they knew it, and by the 2nd century A.D the Roman Empire included all the

countries that encircled the Miditerranean, streaching as far as the Persian Gulf in the

East, to England, France and Spain in the West, and the countries of North Africa.

Cheese played a major role in the diet of the Romans, as it was convinent,

compact and travelled well- even in the knapsacks of the Legionnaires- and came in

numerious forms. One of the earlist mentions of cheeses was by Pliny the Elder when he

refered to the cheese making techiniques used by the shepherds on the outskirts of Rome

to make the sheeps milk cheese that was the forefather of Pecoreno Romano. In his

writings, Columella also reffered to cheese and cheese making, demonstrating his

understanding of the use of rennet, a significant breakthrough in the art.

Cheese making skils were recorded and communicated to sherphards and farmers

across Europe who, until the arrival of the romans, had only a rudimentary understanding

of the process, and made mainly soft, fermented cheese preserved in oil or salt it was the


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Legions of Julius Caesar who brought the knowledge of how to make hard cheeses the

swzerland in 400 B,C, laying the foundation for what were to become some of the worlds

finest cheeses. Some of the classic English and French hard-cheeses also owe there

origions to the Roman cheese making skills.

Roquefort was among the earlist cheeses to be mentioned by Pliny in around A.D

40. the stretched cured (Pasta filata) cheeses, such as provolone and mozzarella, are

thought to have originated, not in Italy, but with the Bedouin tribes of Persia.

The Cheese of Italy have been divided with the reference to there

originating region:-

Cheese from Campania, Calabria and Puglia- Southern Italy

BURRATA

A variant of Mozzarella from Puglia, a gorgeous calorie bomb. The process is similar to

mozzarella with the difference being additional cream is added. The result is a hedonistic,

milky cheese, best when just-made. Burrata is served on its own or also in white pasta.

delicious.

CACIOCAVALLO

Type- Traditional ,farmhouse and creamery, stretched cured cheese

Source- Cows Milk

Description- 2-3 kg, gourd- shaped cheese, tied at the thin end with a cord for hanging.

The rind is oily and smooth.

Culinary Uses- Table Cheese, Grating, grilling, melting.


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This Southern Italian cheese is shaped like a mini gourd,and comes plane or smoked.

Made with cows milk, it is a hand shaped cheese (pasta filata) & can be eaten as soon

as three month of ripening. Can be consumed while young (usually after 2 months), as

well as when aged (up to 2 years). The Caciocavallo Silano DOP is made in all the

southern provinces-Campania, Calabria, Molise, Basilicata and Puglia.

Caciocavallo Silano

Shape- Oval or Conical with or without a Head According to Local custom, some

indentations caused by strings

Weight- 1-2.5 kg

Texture- Even, compact with some slight eyes. White or pale straw yellow in colour

more intense towards the outer parts and lighter in the middle.

Flavour- Aromatic, pleasant, melts in the mouth, normally delicate and tends to be mild

when young becoming spicier when fully matured.

Production Method

Fresh or matured, semi-hard, stringy-textured cows milk cheese. This famous cheese

was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year 1993 and the status

of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996. Basilicata: some boroughs in

the provinces of Matera and Potenza. Calabria: some boroughs in the provinces of

Catanzaro and Cosenza. Campania: some boroughs in the provinces of Avellino,

Benevento, Caserta, Naples and Salerno. Molise: some boroughs in the provinces of

Campobasso and the whole of the Isernia province. Puglia: some boroughs in the

provinces of Bari, Brindisi, Foggia and Taranto. Aromatic, pleasant, melts in the mouth,

normally delicate and tends to be mild when young becoming spicier when fully mature.


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Caciocavallo Silano is produced from cows milk, coagulated at 36-38OC using calves or

kids rennet. When the curds have reached the required consistency they are cut to

hazelnut-sized lumps. During curdling there is a lively fermentation that lasts 4-10 hrs but

may continue longer depending on the acidity of the milk, its temperature, mass and other

factors. In order to assess the correct degree of ripeness, small samples of curd are

immersed in boiling water to see if it stretches into long, elastic fibres which should be

shiny, strong and unbroken, i.e. strings. Proper spinning begins with the use of

boiling water. The milled stretched curd is then shaped by hand, sealed by the apex of

each piece by immersion in hot water; this operation is completed by hand. Salting occurs

by immersion over a period of time which may vary but cannot be less than 6 hrs. Once

removed from the brine the cheeses are tied in pairs with suitable strings and hung on

poles to mature for at least 15 days.

CANESTRATO PUGLIESE

Shape - Cylindrical with flat top & bottom, slightly convex sides.

Weight 7-14 kg

Flavour Marked Typical Piquant Taste.

From Italys heel of Apulia (Puglia in Italian), this delicious cheese is made in the

Foggia province. It is a flaky sheeps cheese that has used the same production technique

since it was mentioned in Homers Odyssey. The cheeses are aged on fennel stalks from

2 months to a year. Intense bouquet and a parmigiano -like texture, this cheese pairs well

with a rich Puglian red from the Tormaresca estate throughout the province of Foggia and

in some parts of the province of Bari, Rather marked typical piquant taste.


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This famous cheese was given the status ofDO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year

1985 and the status ofPDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996.

The sheep are fed almost exclusively on the local pastures- fresh or dry- supplemented

with hay and exceptionally, simple concentrates. The milk from one or two milking is

coagulated at 38-45OC with animal rennet. Coagulation occurs between 15-25 min. The

entire production cycle lasts 30-60 days depending upon the size and weight of the

cheese, during which times the shapes are pressed into special moulds- called canestri

(baskets) - in order to give the rind its characteristic wrinkles. It can be dry-salted or in

brine and this process is repeated on several occasions throughout the production process

starting from 2-4 days after the start.

MOZZERALLA

Authentic Mozzarella is made with water buffalo milk. When made with cow milk,the

correct term is Fiordillate.The process is the classic Pasts filata,of hand stretching

and kneading after the curd is dipped into hot whey.When exported, Mozzarella is most

often seen as a soft, fresh cheese firmed into a ball shape and stored in water.However

fresh mozzeralla must be eaten within 24 hours and is one of the sublime pleasures on

earth!You can taste fresh mozzeralla in many high-end restaurants in Italy,particularly in

Campania where real Mozzeralla di Bufala is made.At the Vanullo dairy for

example,taste just-made Buffalo milk yoghurts,ice creams,and moist mozzeralla

braids(called treccia)-an unforgetabble experience!Delicious served with heirloom

tomatoes and fresh basil (called an insalata caprese,or Capri Salad),its also the

worlds favourite pizza topping.Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in

1993 and PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1996


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CHEESE FROM SARDINIA AND SICILIAN, ITALIAN

ISLANDS

FIORE SARDO

Fresh of more or less matured, hard, raw cheese made from sheeps milk

Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in 1955 and PDO (Protected

Designation of Origin) status in 1996

Shape- Two Truncated cones tied together at the wider base thus giving its typical

Mules Back shape.

Weight- 1.5-4 kgwith variations according to the conditions during production.

Flavor- More or less intense according to the stage of maturation.

Sardinian Flower, this sheeps cheese (pecorino) is firm and with savory nuances of

Mediterranean herbs. Aged from 1-6 months, this cheese is of the highest quality and is

made using historic techniques. This is a hard , raw cheese produced with fresh whole

sheeps milk coagulated with lamb or kid rennet. The cheese is shaped in special moulds

which give it the characteristic form. Following a brief period in brine the cheese are dry


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salted. This is a table cheese when it is age for less than three months and a grating

cheese once aged for more than six months.

This famous cheese was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in the year

1955 and the status of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the year 1996. The

provinces in Sardinia where this cheese is produced are Cagliari, Nuoro, Oristano,

Sassari.

PECORINO

While Pecorino is made in many different regions of Italy (Pecorino Romano from

Rome, Pecorino Toscano from Tuscany and Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily, Pecorino dei

Monti Sibillini from Marche, Pecorino del Sannio from Molise, or example). Pecorino

Sardo from Sarinia is the one most means sheep. Pecorino is a hard, pressed cheese,

which is often aged. In general, it takes up to a year for the cheese to mature and it is

during this time Pecorino characteristic tangy and savory flavour comes into its own.

Pecorino cheese is used in a variety of ways- served on its own in wedges with wine, as

an ingredient in many sauces including pesto and grated into risottos and over pasta.

PECORINO ROMANO

A hard, cooked cheese made from sheeps milk



Shape cylindrical with flat top and bottom

Weight- 20 to 35kg


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Body- compact, may have a few eyes . when cut the color may vary from white to lighter

or darker shades to straw yellow depending on the conditions of production

Flavour- aromatic and slightly sharped in table variety , sharp , intense and pleasing in

fully matured grating cheese.

Production method

The cheese is produced exclusively from fresh whole sheeps milk . the milk , which may

be inoculated with natural and indigenous lactic acid cultures from the production area ,

is coagulated with lambs , rennet from animals bred in the same area. Salting may be dry

or in brine. The cheese is aged for atleast 5 months if used as a table cheese and a

minimum of 8 months if used for grating. In some cases a protective coating of a neutral

colour or black is applied. The cheese is produced from October to July according to

traditions linked to environmental conditions.

PECORINO SARDO

A partially cooked cheese made from sheeps milk



This Cheese is of two types:-

PECORINO SARDO DOLCE

PECORINO SARDO MATURO


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PECORINO SARDO DOLCE

Shape cylindrical with flat top and bottom, straight or slightly convex sides

Weight- 1 to 2.3 kg

Body-white, soft, compact with a few eyes

Flavour- mild, aromatic or slightly acidic

Production Method

This cheese is produced exclusively form whole , raw sheeps milk which is heated or

pasteurised and possibly inoculated with natural lactic acid cultures, including

Streptococcus thermophilus , and coagulated with calfs rennet. The curd are cut until

they are the size of hazelnuts. Salting is dry or in brine maturation is completed in 20 to

60 days

PECORINO SARDO MATURO

Shape- cylindrical with flat top and bottom and straight sides

Weight- 1.7-4kg

Body- white, tending to straw colour with aging, compact or with the few eyes; elastic in

the fresher cheese and hard sometimes grainy, when matured

Flavour- mild and aromatic when fresh, pleasantly spicy when mature

Production Method

This cheese is produced exclusively from whole raw sheeps milk which is heated and

possibly inoculated with natural lactic acid cultures including Streptococcus

thermophilus, and coagulated with calfs rennet. The curds are cut to the size of grains


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of corn.Salting is dry or in brine. The cheese is mature for over two months in special

stores with controlled temp and humidity.

PECORINO SICILIANO

Shape- cylindrical with flat or slightly concave top and bottom



Weight- 4-12kg Both size and weight may vary depending upon the conditions of

production

Body- Compact white or pale straw coloured with few eyes

Flavour- distinctive spicy taste

Production Method

Pecorino siciliano is produced exclucively from fresh whole sheeps milk which is

coagulated with lambs rennet. It is produced yearly in the months b/w oct and july.

Salting is dry. The cheese is aged for atleast 4 months and suitable for both table and

grating.

PECORINO TOSCANO

A soft or semi-hard cheese made from sheeps milk.



Shape- cylindrical with flat top and bottom slightly convex sides

Weight- 1-3.5kg


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Body- Compact and resistant in the semi-hard type with possible minute unevenly

distributed eyes. The soft cheese is white or light straw colour and the semi-hard one has

a slightly more intense straw colour.

Flavour- fragrant, pronounced, typical of the particular production methods

Production Method

This cheese is produced exclusively from whole sheeps milk taken from animals mainly

fed on fresh pastures or hay from local areas. The milk which may be inoculated with

indigenous natural lactic acid cultures, is coagulated with calfs rennet in 20-25min at a

temp of 35-38*C. The curd are cut to the size of hazelnuts for the soft cheese and to that

of grains of corn for semi-hard cheese. For the latter type the curds are sometimes cooked

at 40-42*c for 10-15min. After cutting the curds and possible cooking; the curds are

placed into moulds to drain the whey. To help the process, they are either pressed or

steamed for 30-150min. Salting may be either direct with the addition of salt or in a 17-

19% salty brine solution. The latter case takes 8hrs/ kg for soft pecorino and 12-14hrs /kg

for semi-hard pecorino. It is then matured in stores at a temp of 8-10*C and relative

humidity of 80-90% for at least 20 days for the soft cheese minimum of 4 months for the

semi-hard variety.


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PIACINTINU

This saffron-coloured Sicilian cheese is a hard sheeps cheese made between October

and june and served fresh. It is spiked with peppercorn and pairs well with a Sicilian

white like planetas buttery chardonnay.

RAGUSANO

The name of this cheese from the sidilian city of Ragusa( beautiful place known for its

Baroque architecture).cows milk ffrom the special modicana breed of cows is used to

make this small production cheese, which can be aged from 3 months to one year.



Shape brick-shaped, cross square sections with blunted edges, sometimes the cheeses

have slight indentations from the strings used to hang them during the ageing process

Weight -10-16kgs

Body- compact, some cracks and a few eyes possible with increased ageing . the cheese

is white with a tendency to light or dark straw yellow.


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Flavour-very pleasant, mild delicate and not sharp in the early stages of maturation for

the table cheese ; tending to be spiceier and more pronounced in flavour at advanced

stages of maturation for gratinf cheese. The cheese has a pleasant aroma, typical of its

particular method of production.

Production Method

Ragusano cheese is produced from raw , whole cows milk . the cows are mainly fed on

fresh grasses from the high pastures of the ibleo, with the possible supplement of hay.

The milk which is taken from one or more milkings , is coagulated at 31-37oC with

lambs or kids rennet in a paste. Setting time may vary from 60 -80 minutes. (8 ltrs per

hectolitre of milk) they become on average the size of a grain of rice. The curd is then

pressed in order to discard the whey, it is then scalded or treated with water at about 85

minutes. After drying naturally the curd is cut. It is then covered with water at about

80oC for about 8 mins , worked carefully in the shape of a ball with a smooth unbroken

surface and then tied to a pole. Modelling confers it its distinctive four- sided shape. It is

salted in brine and matured in ventilated rooms at a temperature of 14 -16 oC , the

cheeses are tied in pairs with thin strings and placed astride special supports. This

technique ensures that the entire surface of the cheese is fully aired. The cheese may be

smoked by natural , traditional methods, in which case the title of the denomination of

origin is followed by the word affumicato (smoked)


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CHEESE FROM EMILLA ROMAGANA, MARCHE AND

TUSCANY

CASCIOTTA DURBINO-

From the marvellous region of Marche on the Adriatic coast, this cheese is made with

70% sheeps milk and 30% cows milk .it is a young tendr cheese usually only aged 20-30

days .An anecdo te is that this cheewe is said to have been a favourite of michelangelo!



Shape- Cylindrical with low sides and rounded top & bottoms

Weight- 0.8-1.2 kg

Flavour-Mild, typical of the particular production methods

Production Method

Whole sheeps milk is produce Cascoitta d Urbino cheese, to which 20-30% of cows

milk is added taken from two milkings. The milk is coagulated at about 35oC with liquid

or powdered rennet. The curd is pressed by hand is special moulds. Salting may be dry or

alternated in brine and dry. Minimum aging period vary between 20-30 days in room kept

at between 10-14oC and at 80-90% humidity.

MARZOLINO DEL CHIANTI-

This young soft cheese is made in the lovely chainti wine country with raw ewe milk

intense flavour .goes great with a luscious riserva from chainti badia coltibuono estate.


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PARMIGIANO REGGIANO-

Parmesan is perhaps Italys best known cheese. There is a valid gamut of qualities and

prices ,with the simplestof this cow-milk cheese being aged 12 months and the more

sought-after versions boasting 36 months of aging and an impeccable production process.

parmigiano reggiano has an appellation which is very strict and can only be made in

certain areas including bologna alla sinistra del fiume reno,mantova alla destra del fiume

po,modena ,parma,reggionellemilia. Parma is the heart of parmigiano production;here

,they often serve roughly cut chunks of cheese with sparking wine,an excellent

combination.you can also grate it over pasta,salad, soup or bread,or toss the ring into a

stew for added flavour.

This firm, grainy cow's-milk cheese has been made in the area around

the Po Valley, in the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia, since the early

middle Ages. It is the most famous and highly prized of all Italian

cheeses. Wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano weighing about 70 pounds

each are aged from slightly less than one year to more than two years.

When the wheel is first cut open, flakes of the cheese are

incomparable when consumed as a separate course, accompanied

perhaps by pears or other fresh fruit but assuredly with a goblet of red

wine. The grated cheese is used in a vast number of dishes, enhancing

their flavors and textures. The cheese should be slivered with the aid

of a flat trowel-shaped knife that is inserted into the body and twisted.

It is best when freshly grated and should, therefore, be purchased in

large pieces. And textures the cheese should be slivered with the aid of


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a flat trowel-shaped knife that is inserted into the body and twisted. It

is best when freshly grated and should, therefore, be purchased in

large pieces.



Shape cylindrical form with slightly convex sides and with two flat ,

slightly bordered surfaces

Dimensions - diameter from 35 to 45 cm, height of the sides from 20

to 26 cms

Minimum weight of a form 30kg

External aspect light straw coloured natural rind with a thickness of

6mm

Interior colour from light straw to straw

Internal structure minutely granular, breaks into large flakes

Characteristic aroma and taste of the cheese fragment, delicate,

savoury but not sharp

Fat on the dry matter 32%

The aged cheese is used for grating or as a table cheese

Production Method

Milk destined for the production of PARMIGIANO REGGIANO comes

from cows fed according to a precise feeding regulation that provides

as the base diet the administration of forage from fields of alfalfa and


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wild vegetation with in the area of origin mixed with vegetable feed.

Fermented forage and silage are prohibited.

The milk of the evening milking is allowed to rest overnight and is

partially skimmed after the natural surfacing of the cream. This is

mixed with the milk of the morning milking.

After the addition of the natural fermented starter whey , rich in lactic

bacteria, the curdling is done using the veal rennet. Once the curd is

set it is broken into small grains and then cooked

The addition of any additive (preservative , colourant , etc) is not

allowed. After several days the cheese forms proceed to the salting

phase , which is accomplished in 20 to 25 days

The ageing is natural and must last for atleast 12 months , even if the

best ageing is notably greater (20 to 24 months). In fact , the particular

structural and organoleptic characteristics , the result of an intense

enzymatic activity that derives mainly from lactic bacteria present

naturally in the cheese , are completely realized when the cheese

reaches 20 to 24 months

Pecorinop di Pienza-a superb example of pecorino,this sheeps cheese can be sold

fresh (with a red rind) or aged (with a black rind).it is also often sold in small pieces in

extra cvirgin Tuscan olive oil in jars.

CHEESE FROM LOMBARDY CHEESES


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BAGOS-

this delicious cheese is made in the Val Caffaro in Eastern Lombardy.Bagos in

Brescian dialect means Bagolino and Bagolino refers to the little village where this

cheese was invented.Cows milk is used to make this yellow cheese (colored from

saffron),often aged for 1 to 2 years.Pairs well with Franciacorta bubbly.

BITTO-

Made near the valtellina wine producing region of northern Lombardy, Bitto is a

wonderful cows cheese that can be young(70 days) or aged (stagionato) for up to 10

years. Intense flavour and bouquet. A small amount of goats, milk can also be included.

Bitto was given its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in the year 1995 and the next

following year(1996) this cheese was given the status of PDO (Protected Designation of

Origin) this cheese is made in the provinces of Bergamo and Sondrio.

Matured, cooked cheese made from cows milk and possible addition of goats milk. The

area of production includes all of the province of Sondrio and some boroughs of the Altra

Valle Brembana and Bergamo.

Shape- Cylindrical, regular shape with flat top & bottom, concave sides and sharp edges.

Weight- From 8-25 kg there may be slight variation in shape, size and weight. Due to

production condition and length of maturation

Flavour- Delicate, mild, becoming more intense as it matures. If blend with goats milk it

acquires a stronger more aromatic flavour.

Production Method


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Bitto cheese is made from whole cows milk to which goats milk is sometime added in

a measure not exceeding 10%. The milk is obtained from traditional breeds of the area

which feed on fresh, local grass and hay. The milk of each milking is processed

immediately and coagulated on site with calfs rennet. The curds are cooked at

temperature between 48-52OC for about 30 min and are subsequently cut into rice sized

granules. The cheese is then put into traditional container called fascere which gives it

its Characteristic concave sides it is dry-salted. The initial maturation begins in the

casere d Alpe (high alpine storage places) and is completed in the diaries of the valley

floor where it benefits from the climate of the production area. The cheese is matured for

a minimum of 70 days.

VALTELLINA CASERA

A matured, half fat, cooked cheese made from cows milk



Shaperegular cylindrical shape with flat top and bottom, straight sides

Weight 7-12kgs. there may be variations in size and weight depending upon the

conditions of production and the state of ageing .

Body- medium consistency, elastic with sparsely distributed holes. When cut the cheese

varies in colour from white to straw yellow depending on production time and the stage

of ripening .

Flavour- mild , characteristic with a particular aroma which becomes progressively more

pronounced with ageing


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Production Method

The cheese is produced using the cows milk from traditional breeds that are fed

predominantly on natural pastures and hay in the production area. The milk is taken from

two or more milkings and is partially skimmed before setting , which occurs by

spontaneous growth of micro flora. Calfs rennet is used . the curds are cooked at a temp

of 40-45oC for about 30mins . the curds are cut to the size of grains of corns. The cheese

is then transferred into the traditional containers fascere and progressively lightly

pressed for about 8-12 hrs. salting is dry or in brine. The cheese is matured in stores kept

at 6-13oC with a humidity level of 80% for a minimum of 70days.

FORMAI DE MUT

Matured, full fat, partly-cooked cheese made from cows milk.



Shape- Cylindrical with straight or slightly convex sides, flat or semi-flat top and bottom

Weight- 8-12 kgs

Flavour- Delicate, fragrant, neither very salty nor spicy and with distinctive aroma.


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Production Method

The milk is taken from animals which are fed on dry or fresh grass or hay predominantly

from fields and pastures in the production area. The cheese is produced throughout the

year. The milk is coagulated at 35-37oC, with the addition of rennet, so as to obtain curds

in 30 min. The process involves a first cutting of the curds, it is then semi-cooked at a

temp of 45-47oC then taken off the heat and stirred. Adequate pressings must be carried

out using presses which encourage the draining of whey. Finally the cheeses are put into

moulds (fassere). Salting may be dry or in brine and must be repeated on alternate days

for a period of 8-12 days. The cheese must be matured for at least 45 days it is used as a

table cheese when matured for a minimum of 6 months.

PROVOLONE VALPADANA

A semi hard, stringy textured cheese made from whole cows milk



Shape a variety of shapes in the form of salami , melons, conical trunks or

pears sometimes with a small round head; the outer rind may present slight indentations

from the pressure of strings used for hanging the cheeses

Weight- 0.5 to 6kg. for cheeses to be consumed after a brief maturation ; from 6-100kg .

for cheeses to be consumed after maturation of more than three months

Body- Compact , with possible light and sparsely scattered eyes, a slight layering is

acceptable


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Flavour- delicate up to three months; pronounced and spicier or sharper at later stages of

maturation or when kid or lamb rennet is used either singy or jointly

Production Method

This cheese is produced from whole cows milk with natural acid fermentation. It is

coagulated using calfs , kid and lambs rennet- the last two can be used either jointly or

individually. The cheese is stretched in the traditional way after natural lactic

fermentation obtained by using starters produced by the same dairy. The cheese is shaped

manually or with special moulds. Salting which is in brine for a period which may vary

from 12 hrs to 25 days depending on the weight of the cheese concludes the production

process. The cheese is then matured according to traditional customs , by hanging the

cheeses in stores at appropriate temp and humidity , for a minimum of 30 days. The

cheese may be smoked.

QUARTIROLO LOMBARDO

Soft textured table cheese



Production area-Throughout the province of Brescia, Bergamo, Como, Cremona, Lecco,

Lodi, Milan, Pavia and Varese of the state of Lombardy

Shape- brick shape with flat top and bottom straight sides

Weight- 1.5-3.5kg


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Body- Compact slightly grainy with possible cracks and fissures and with a tendency to

crumble (when there is no yellowish halo under the rind ) becoming more compact , soft

and with tendency to melt as maturation progresses

Flavour- distinctive, slightly sour and aromatic in the earlier stages and more aromatic

when mature taste

Production Method

This cheese is produced with cows milk from atleast 2 milkings , of these the second or

subsequent ones , may be partially skimmed. Coagulation takes place in 25 mins with

calfs rennet at 35-40 oC . Sometimes starters from previous processings carried out at

the same dairy are added. After the first cutting the curds are left to rest. A second cutting

of the curds follows to obtain granules of the size of hazelnuts. The curd is then cooked at

26-28oC for 4-24 hrs at decreasing temp. salting takes place dry or in brine in rooms kept

at 10 -14 oC and its duration varies according to the weight of the cheese. The cheese is

matured in stores kept at 2-8oC with 85-90%humidity , for a period which may last 5-30

days for the soft cheese. After 30 days the product is considered matured mature . no

rind treatments are allowed.

GORGONZOLA-

A pungent Italian Blue Cheese, Gorgonzola is an intensely flavourful semi-soft cheese

thats best eaten on salads, with fruit like grapes or pears, or spread on bread. Its


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excellent accompanied by the rich Amarone and Recioto wines .Made in both Lombardy

and Piedmont.



Shape- Cylindrical with straight, high sides and flat top & bottom

Dimensions- 16-20 cm. high, 25-30 cm. diameters with variations depending on the

conditions during production.

Flavour- Slightly sharp characteristic flavour.

Production Method

Produced exclusively from whole cows milk, coagulated at 28-32*c with calfs rennet.

Traditionally it was prepared in layers with cooled curds. After a few days it is dry salted.

This procedure continues over a number of days in rooms at a temp of 18-20*c. Aging

can extend over two or three months and is carried out at a temp of 5-8*c. During

maturation the cheese is perforated several times in order to encourage the development

of the various types of Penicillium mould which are typical of Gorgonzola and which

cause its green marbling.

MAGNUCA-


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This Lombard cheese is made with cow milk and comes from the Val Chiavenna. It can

be aged for as little as 1 month and up to one year. It can be served in slices to

accompany polenta. Pairs well with robust red wines from Valtellina.

MASCARPONE-

Technically not a cheese as it is made with cream instead of milk; the process is similar

to yogurt. The texture is soft and ultra creamy and is salt less, so used for many deserts.

Mascarpone is the key ingredient in Tiramisu, for example. It is also used in savoury

sauces to add a depth of flavour.

Appearance- creamy, without rind and shape.

Flavour- delicate, mild and creamy.

Texture- Soft, compact spreadable consistency.

Aroma- Delicate, Creamy

Production Method

Unlike all the other Italian cheeses, mascarpone is a cheese which is made from

buttermilk to which small amounts of milk are generally added. Its production method

requires the buttermilk to be heated to 80oC for 15 mins and the addition of an acidifying

agent(citric acid, acetic acid). The combined effect of heat and acidity induces

coagulation and whey separation. At completion of these two stages the mascarpone is

cooled down and packaged.


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TALEGGIO

This short and squat soft cheese comes in rectangular shapes and is made with pure cows

milk. The most famous characteristic of taleggio is its powerful aroma. Maturing takes

about 40 days and taleggio is often used in cooking (risottos especially) as it has a

delicious almost fruit flavour. The Val Taleggio (namesake) is in Lombardy near Lake

Como, but Taleggio is made all over the north of Italy including Piedmont (Novara and

Vebania) and the Veneto(Treviso).



Shapesquare , straight sided , flat top & bottom.

Weight-1.7-2.2 kg. with variations depending on conditions at production

Body- even colour, from white to pale straw yellow

Flavour- distinctive and lightly aromatic

Production Method

Taleggio is a cows milk cheese made with whole milk. Salting is dry. The cheese is

matured for a period of about forty days. The matured cheese is for bable use.

Taleggio is made from whole milk cows milk which can be pasteurized. Salting can be

dried or in brine. All cheeses bear the brand of origin applied to the cheeses after the

curds have been shaped and left to rest to shed excess whey. Maturation lasts for at least

35 days. No treatment of the rind is allowed . at correct point of maturation it is an

excellent table cheese.


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PIEDMONT CHEESES

BRA

One of the best cheeses in Piedmont,

There are different types of Bra Cheese:-

1. Bra Tenero (young usually about 45 days)

2. Bra Duro (aged usually 6 months)

3. Bra Nostrale.

4. Bra Tenera

5. Bra di Alpeggio

Bra was given the status of DO (Denominazione Di Origine) in 1982 and the status of

PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in 1996. the production zone being in the region

of Piedmont and the main provinces where its production takes place are Cuneo and

Turin.

Bra Duro tends to be the nuttiest one, all delicious. Bra is also the Piedmont town that is

home to the Slow Food Movement, and is near Barolo and Barbaresco wine country.

Half-fat pressed cheese made from cows milk with occasional addition of small

quantities of sheeps or goats milk, more or less matured. Province of Cuneo. Ageing

zone: province of Cuneo and the municipality of Villafranca Piemonte in the Province of

Turin. Bra cheese which is matured in some of the mountain villages of the province of

the cuneo may carry the additional description of di Alpeggio (alpine). Pleasantly

aromatic. Soft variety: moderately spicy and tasty. Hard variety: strong and spicy. Cows

milk is used which is produced by animals fed principally on green fodder or hay. Small

amounts of sheeps or goats milk will be added, often partially skimmed, taken from one

or two daily milkings. The cheese is produced throughout the year. The milk is


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coagulated at 27-32*c. using liquid rennet. The particular production method involves

cutting the curds twice plus adequate pressing in moulds. Normally the cheese is dry

salted twice but sometimes it is salted in brine. Maturation lasts for at least 45 days for

the soft cheese version and six months for the hard variety. The soft type is suitable as

atable cheese whereas the hard one can also be grated.

BLU DEL MONCENISIO

Cheese made from unpasteurized cows milk, fantastic Alpine cheese which is a streaked

blue produced in the area around Moncenisio. Tastes great with late harvest sweet

wines.

CASTELMAGNO

Named after the village where it is made, this is one of the most renowned cheeses of

Piedmont. Made in the Alps (in the Grana Valley) from a specific breed of Piemontese

Cow milk of two separate milkings and then aged naturally in caves for 2 to 5 months.

The cheese is crumbly and a pearly colour with blue streaks. Apart from being a great

cheese, it is also used a lot in gourmet cooking.



The villages of Castelmagno, Pradleves and Monterosso Grana in the province of Cuneo.

Shape- Cylindrical, flat top & bottom

Weight- 2-7 kg


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Flavour- Fine, delicate and moderately salty when young. More intense, stronger and

spicier when aged.

Production Method

Castelmagno is made from cows milk which is often partially separated, to which are

occasionally added small amounts of sheeps and goats milk. The animals are fed mainly

on fresh green fodder, or dried grasses from fields and pastures. The cheese is produced

from the milk of two consecutive milkings. It is produced throughout the year. The milk

is coagulated in 30-90 min at a temp of 35-38oC using liquid rennet. The typical

production cycle lasts for about six days during which several pressings are carried out in

appropriate moulds and the cheese is dry salted. The aging period varies from 2-5 months

in natural, cool and humid caves or in stores which reproduce natural environmental

conditions. The cheese is used as a table cheese.

RASCHERA

Shape- Cylindrical or quadrangular with flat top & bottom.



Dimensions - round raschera : diamerer 35-40 cm. slightly convex sides 7-9cm. square

raschera: length about 40 cms. Irregular sides of approx. 12-15 cm. height the sizes vary

depending upon the conditions of production

Weight- round raschera: 7-9 kg. Square raschera: 8-10 kg

Body rather firm, elastic with tiny scattered and irregular holes.

Flavour- elegant, delicate, typically aromatic and moderately spicy, strong if aged\


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Production Method

Raschera is made from cows milk to which sheeps or goats milk may be added ( at

times partially skimmed). The animals basic diet consists of fresh green fodder or hay

from the meadows, fields and pastures . the milk is taken from two daily milkings. It is

coagulated at 27-30 oC with liquid rennet. The traditional production method takes about

7 days during which time the cheese is pressed in moulds with cylindrical or

quadrangular sections. Normally raschera is dry salted twice. The ageing process lasts at

least one month. The cheese is produced all year round. It is a table cheese.

RASCHERA DALPEGGIO

Named after the Raschera Alps (Cuneo province, Piedmont). Made from cows milk, the

taste is pronounced, herbaceous and moderately spicy in the aged version. Pairs well with

juicy Dolcetto dAlba.

GORGONZOLA See the cheeses of Lombardy

VALLE DAOSTA CHEESES

FONTINA

A favourite for gourmet fondues, this semi-soft cows milk cheese is made in the French

influenced aosta valley in the northwest Italy. Fontana has a wonderful mild nutty, and

butter flavour. This famous cheese was given the status ofDO (Denominazione Di

Origine) in the year 1955 and the status ofPDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in

the year 1996.

Shape- Cylindrical with low, slightly concave sides, flat or almost top & bottom


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Weight- 8-18 kg with variations depending upon conditions during production

Flavour- Characteristically mild

Production Method

Fontina cheese is made from cows milk taken from a single milking and natural

fermentation acidity. It is a cheese made of fresh milk, heated at a temp of not higher than

36*c before coagulation. It is dry salted with a special and typical technique. The cheses

are matured for about 3 months in a natural environment at temp of 6-10oC (never over

12oC ) and 90% humidity or saturation level achieved naturally.

VALLE D AOSTA FROMADZO

Shape- round with flat or almost flat top and bottom, straight or slightly rounded sides



Weight-1-7kgs

Body-firm, with sparse small and medium size eyes when cut , the fresh cheese is white

becoming light or darker straw yellow in the matured variety

Flavour-distinctive, fragrant, and quite mild in the fresh variety. More pronounced

slightly salty , at times with a spicy edge when aged. Has a pleasant milky nose with a

particular aroma of mountain herbs especially when produced during summer months


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Production Method

Valle d aosta fromadzo or Vallee d aoste fromadzo is produced in two different

varieties one with cows milk taken from atleast two milkings and one to which a very

small amount of goats milk is sometimes added. The cow producing milk for these

cheese must be fed on a predominant diet of local fresh fodder or hay. For the half fat

cheese the milk must be left to rest for 12 -24 hrs , for the low fat cheese such period is

extended to 24-36 hrs. the milk coagulates at 34-36oC due to a spontaneous development

of microflora with a possible additional inoculation of natural indigenous lactic cultures

from the production area. Natural rennet is used. After the curds are cut they are heated to

a maximum of 45oC and placed in containers called fuscellu or feitchez where they

are lightly pressed and turned several times. Salting is dry or in brine. The cheeses are

cleaned usind a cloth soaked in brine . maturation lasts for a period between 60 days to 8

10 months in stores kept at 8-14 oC and with 60% minimum humidity. The less

matured cheese is used as a table cheese and the more matured may be used as a grating

cheese. The cheese may be flavoured with the addition of seeds or aromatic herbs during

the production methods.


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NORTH EASTERN ITALIAN CHEESE

ASIAGO

This mild hard cheese, shredded over pasta or atop risotto. This pale cheese is made with

cows milk can be aged for up to 24 months. Assigo Meazzano is 6 months old, Vecchio

is one year old and Stravecchio is 2 years old. Assigo is produced in both the Veneto and

alto Adige areas. Has got its DO (Denominazione Di Origine) status in 1978 and PDO

(Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1996

There are three types of Asiago cheese:-

6. Asiago d Allevo Mezzano

7. Asiago d Allevo Vecchio

8. Asiago Pressato

MATURE ASIAGO (Asiago dAllevo)

Shape- Cylindrical with low, straight or almost straight sides, flat or almost flat top and

bottom.

Weight- 8-12 kg

Body - The Mezzano has a compact structure with small to medium size sparsely

distributed eyes. When cut the cheese is light straw in colour. The Vecchio has a

granular structure with sparsely distributed small or medium size eyes .when cut the

cheese is straw or light straw coloured .


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Flavour- The Mezzano variety has a mild taste whereas the Vecchio has a more

marked and fragrant one, both of which are typical of the specific production methods.

Production Method

The milk, which can be inoculated with lactic and bacteria, is taken either from two

milking, only one of which is skimmed, or from a single milking, which is then partially

skimmed. Saltin

cheese of italy

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