Italian Cheese
Often Imitated, Never Duplicated
Authentic Italian Food. The Quality of Life
A Primer on Italian Cheese
A Little History It is undisputed among food conoscienti and rank and file food lovers alike that Italy produces a lion’s share of the world’s finest cheeses. Perhaps this excellence is an extension of the Italians’ high regard for their roots. No nation clings more determinedly and proudly to its local traditions. No nation puts its talent and artistry so devotedly behind its regional artisanal industries. It is easier to appreciate the importance and romance of Italian cheeses when you know a little bit about their history. The twenty regions that make up modern Italy are centuries older than the unified Italian state. The regional cuisines that emphatically still exist were born in the villages, towns, cities and city-states from which, in 1860, the nation of Italy was formed.
Regional Italian Cuisine, Regional Italian Cheeses In fact, there is no “Italian cooking” and there is no “Italian cheese.” There is Roman cooking and there are Roman cheeses, Neapolitan cooking and Neapolitan cheeses; there are the cheeses of Sardinia, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont and so on. So whether they are making furniture or pottery, wine or cheese, Tuscans, Calabresi, Sicilians, Friulani or what have you, each region takes great pride in its local products. It is no wonder that Italian cheeses are so good.
Italian Cheese Making: An Artisanal Process Today, traditional Italian cheeses are still produced using raw milk and ancient methods of cheese making. Artisanal cheeses are made by hand, not by machines. Unlike the industrialized, processed cheeses many Americans grew up with, raw milk artisanal cheeses are living, breathing foods. The tried and true old cheese making ways, handed down from generation to generation, are testimony to the durability of the gastronomical and artistic heritage rooted in Italy’s agricultural life.
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What unify Italian cheeses are their full-flavored rusticity, their individuality and an uncompromised natural flavor based on the inimitable properties of raw milk. What distinguishes each of them is its unique connection to the landscape, soil, climate, forage, history and cheese making traditions of the locality of its origins.
Cheese: A Historic Solution to Preserving Milk Initially, animals were domesticated and maintained for their milk. As long as the herds remained within close range of their owners’ homes, there was no problem. If the herds were absent for months at a time, however, the community would be deprived of a food that was essential to its health and survival. One solution was for the entire community to follow the animals and, in some parts of the world, nomadic peoples still do. But those who wanted dwellings more permanent than tents stayed home and sent the herds away for the summer. They could do so because of the discovery of the process by which milk is transformed into cheese, a solid food that could be stored for many months and even improve in flavor in the process. Until well into the 20th century, the practice of moving grazing livestock, from lowlands in winter and highlands in summer, was a ritual that took place in pastoral cultures with the changing of the seasons. This semiannual event, called transhumance (transumanza in Italian), was more than a necessary part of animal husbandry. 2
It was a way of life with its own inherent customs and traditions that went back thousands of years. That seasonal migration of flocks and herds was due to prevailing climatic conditions. In most Mediterranean countries, summers are long and dry, while winters are relatively short and extremely damp. Pastures in valleys and plains dry up in summer, although they are lush in winter months. Rain is concentrated in upper, greener elevations where heavy dew settles and quenches thirst for grazing animals. Until the present century, it was physically impossible or too expensive to bring sufficient feed to the animals in lower areas where their owners lived. As a result, certain members of each community had the responsibility of conducting the animals to summer pasture, remaining with them for months at a time to protect them from predators and then bringing them back to their owners. Those herdsmen were almost certainly responsible for the invention or, at least, the development of one of the most important (and tastiest) food resources known to man: cheese.
Cow, Sheep and Goat Milk Cheeses During the summer, herdsmen milked their animals and made cheese that, since it was highly compact, could be easily transported back to their homes when the time came to leave the highlands. The types of cheeses they made depended on various factors, including geography, climate and taste. Because the pastures of the Italian 3
Alps are more extensive and located at higher altitudes, they are more luxuriant than the grazing lands in Italy’s far south. This makes cattle raising possible in northern Italy and, as a consequence, the north produces many cow’s milk cheeses. The landscape of southern Italy, with its sparse vegetation and summer droughts, is better suited to raising sheep and goats for milk. The Apennines, whose spine cuts across the center of the Italian peninsula from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic seas, marks a demarcation line, as it were, between the production of cow’s milk cheeses and sheep’s milk cheeses. Although there are exceptions, the cheeses of the south are typically made from sheep’s milk (pecorini, from pecora, meaning “sheep”) or goat’s milk (caprini, from capra, meaning “goat”). The internationally-known Italian cheese, Mozzarella, is a wild card since the original and most authentic version derives from the milk of a more exotic animal, the buffalo (bufala in Italian).
Flavor Influences in Cheese Production Differences among cheeses are not due solely to the species of animal that provides the milk, as anyone who has tasted a variety of pecorini or sheep’s milk cheeses, knows. While there is always a family resemblance, each has a different texture, color, aroma and flavor. Those variations are due, in part, to the differences in cheese making techniques of the producers. The season of the year when the milk is collected is also important, since the same cheese has a different taste if it is derived from the milk of animals eating fresh grass and wild flora in the spring and summer than when eating hay and winter feed in the cold weather months. Aging is another distinguishing factor. Some cheeses are made to be eaten fresh, while others are best when they have aged several months or even a year or more. Cheese is a perfect food. It is alive and health promoting, rich with nutrients, including vitamin D, proteins, peptides, amino acids and calcium. It can be the mainstay of a meal or a great unifier of otherwise uncommitted tablemates. Consider the casserole (pasticcio) that is bound by its 4
unctuous texture and friendly flavor - baked lasagne is a perfect example. Cheese can be complex (like ParmigianoReggiano®) or salty (like Pecorino Romano), naively charming (Mozzarella), unabashedly sultry (Taleggio), simple and sweet (Montasio) or undeniably sexy (Gorgonzola). In some cheeses, the basic flavors are spiked with spices, herbs or aromatics, such as saffron, peppercorns or black truffles. Some cheeses are smoked, a technique that was once used to lengthen their keeping capacities, but today, the practice continues because people find the flavor appealing.
Which Came First, the Cheese or the Cuisine? Any attempt to explain why Italians developed their extraordinarily wide range of cheeses inevitably brings to mind the proverbial question, “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Did the local character of a cuisine spawn a host of diverse local cheeses or did local cooks, inspired by the variety of cheeses available, invent complementing dishes that evolved into a quintessentially regional style of cooking? Whichever is the answer, there is no doubt that the cooking of each Italian region has tended to have an affinity with local cheeses. For example, tomatobased southern Italian dishes with the zesty flavors of capers, hot peppers and deeply fruity olive oil scream for the rustic tanginess of southern Pecorino 5
cheeses. The rich, subtle and intricate cooking of EmiliaRomagna requires the more complex and multi-dimensional companion cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano®. The creamy, steaming polentas of Veneto, Piedmont, Valle D’Aosta and Lombardy make opulent beds for the likes of Skiz, Taleggio and Gorgonzola Dolce.
Universal Italian Cheeses That said, over the centuries, certain Italian cheeses have infiltrated all of Italy’s regional cooking styles and traveled far beyond its national borders. Parmigiano-Reggiano® and Grana Padano appear in dishes throughout Italy and beyond its borders, although they remain essential components of the traditional cooking of the Po Valley. Mozzarella, the great melting cheese, pokes its head in pizzas, lasagne dishes and sandwiches all over the world. Fontina, the greatest melting cheese of all, has been imitated in Sweden and America to such an extent that most people don’t even know the true greatness of the original from the mountains of Valle D’Aosta. Cheeses are used in innumerable ways on the Italian table. They are served before the meal as antipasti, or after, with fruit. Some cheeses are suitable for use in cooking. Cheeses are grated and sprinkled over soups, pastas and risottos and incorporated into stuffed pasta fillings, meat and vegetable stuffings and sauces. They are roasted, toasted, grilled and fried to be consumed as dishes in their own right. They are gratinéed over meats, poultry, fish and vegetables, sealing in flavors and imparting their own special savor to the dish. Sweetened with honey, sugar and grape must, they constitute the foundations of a host of tantalizing desserts. Alone or accompanied by a goblet of wine and a bit of bread, they make a fitting conclusion to a fine meal or an energizing snack. Genuine Italian cheeses are now available in many food stores throughout the United States, but it should be emphasized that the genuine artisanal cheeses of Italy are often imitated outside its borders, causing confusion as to what is real, and understandable consternation to Italian producers. “Parmesan,” “Romano” and any number of 6
“Italian style” impostors are the products of nothing short of identity theft. No industrial process can replicate cheeses that are the result of centuries of tradition and know-how. Only with the original Italian artisanal cheeses can the true flavors of authentic Italian cooking be reproduced. Any roster of Italian cheeses will necessarily be incomplete, but the following types are available in American markets and should make a regular appearance on every cheese lover’s table.
Asiago PDO An ancient product of the Veneto and Trentino in northeastern Italy, Asiago PDO takes its name from a plateau in the province of Vicenza in the northeastern Veneto region, which has been renowned for its fertile pastures since the year 1000. From the Middle Ages to the sixteenth century, only sheep were raised on the plateau for cheese. Asiago was originally made of sheep’s milk, however, in keeping with the preferences of the Veneto palate, cow’s milk became the standard in the seventeenth century. Asiago is better known outside of Italy than other Veneto cheeses, no doubt due to the Venetian merchants of the Serenissima, who dispersed it throughout the western Mediterranean. Today, the production of the popular Asiago has spread to the entire province of Vicenza and Trento, and to parts of Padua and Treviso. Two types of Asiago are available. One is Asiago d’allevo, produced in three different stages of aging: mezzano (aged over four months), vecchio (“old,” aged over ten months) and stravecchio (aged over 15 months). An artisanal cheese still 7
produced using traditional methods, Asiago d’allevo is ivory in color with a straw-colored rind and small regular holes throughout the paste. Its consistency is compact and uniform, but tender enough to cut easily, and its flavor is agreeable and mildly sweet. Younger Asiago is good for melting and also makes a respectable table cheese. Aged Asiago is sharper in flavor, with a more solid, straw-colored paste and tan rind that splinters when cut. It is grated and folded into polenta; sprinkled over soups, pasta or gnocchi; or strewn as a topping over baked vegetables and other casserole-style dishes. It can also be shaved over beef carpaccio or cut into matchsticks for adding to salads, among other uses. The second type of Asiago is called pressato. Made from whole cow’s milk and aged for 20 to 40 days, this version has an elastic texture, delicate fragrance and mild flavor - an ideal addition to a cheese platter.
Caciocavallo Silano PDO The Italian name of this cheese may be related to the practice of hanging the moulds astride (a cavallo, “on horseback”) horizontal rods. Caciocavallo Silano PDO is an exceptional semi-hard cow’s milk cheese of southern Italy. The rind contains small grooves left by the restraining cords. Caciocavallo Silano PDO is a stringy semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk and ripened for at least fifteen days. Caciocavallo Silano PDO can be oval or else shaped like a truncated cone, sometimes with a small knob at the top, depending on local custom. The rind is thin and smooth, the cheese white or straw yellow, compact and smooth. Mellow in flavor when young, Caciocavallo 8
Silano PDO makes a good table cheese. When it becomes piquant with age, it can be grated and cooked in numerous dishes, including stuffed eggplant and stuffed panzerotti (calzone). The cheese is produced over a wide area that encompasses several town districts in the regions of Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Molise and Basilicata and in the provinces of Foggia, Bari, Brindisi and Taranto.
Gorgonzola PDO One of the finest - some would argue, the best - of the world’s blue cheeses, Gorgonzola, is made from cow’s milk in the area northwest of Italy. Gorgonzola PDO has generated many legends describing its origin. One of the most popular is that it was discovered in the ninth century when Lombardian shepherds left a cheese to ripen in a damp cave and found a pleasant-tasting mold growing on it. The cheese makers say that cultures from this very same mold is added to rich fresh cheese today to enable it to ferment.
Made from pasteurized cow’s milk with the addition of rennet and blue mold spores, creamy Gorgonzola is considered one of the world’s most unique cheeses. It is 9
characterized by the blue green veins that run through it and by its pungent, barnyard-like aroma. The delicate, greenishblue vein is formed by pricking the cheese with long needles to admit air and mold spores. The ripening process requires about 50 days. The cheese should be eaten as fresh as possible or it becomes too assertive. Young Gorgonzola is relatively mild, creamy and sweet. As it ages, it becomes picante - spicy and very strong. Gorgonzola PDO has long been popular as an ingredient in various signature regional dishes, some rustic, as in its use as a topping for grilled polenta, and some sophisticated, as when it is used on pizza. It has many uses on the antipasto table - in canapés, mixed with butter for spreading on crostini, used as a topping for focaccia and baked into puff pastry. However, it is probably best when consumed alone at the end of a meal and accompanied by a red or, more intriguingly, a white, late-harvest dessert wine.
Grana Padano PDO Made in five regions of northern Italy’s Po Valley Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, part of Trentino (Trento) and part of Emilia-Romagna (Piacenza) - Grana Padano has been produced for 1000 years using the same traditional method. This PDO cheese (Protected Designation of Origin) has a light, nutty flavor, which becomes more intense with aging. Grana Padano is aged from 9 to 24 months and can be eaten on its own as a table cheese, shaved or grated on different dishes or consumed alone at the end of a meal with honey or preserves. Grana Padano, the most sold PDO cheese in the world, is now available in three different stages of maturity: (1) Grana Padano aged between 9 to 16 months: It has a slight grainy consistency and a pale, creamy color and delicate taste. It is delicious with young fruity white wines. (2) Grana Padano “over 16 months”: It has a more significant grainy structure and breaks into flakes when cut; less sweet than the previous one and more determined in taste but never overpowering. The cheese calls for a slightly tannic wine, like a red with a fairly intense, lingering flavor, yet still young and fresh. 10
(3) Grana Padano “Riserva” - over 20 months: Truly superlative, it has evidently more granular consistency with a clear radial flake structure, uniform pale yellow, hay-like color and a fragrant yet distinctive and fuller taste. Ideal with wines with plenty of tannin and fairly high alcohol content. Riserva vintage works well when paired with sweet dessert wines or served with fruit, such as figs or grapes, and chutneys.
The production of grana cheese in the Po Valley is generally thought to have begun in 1135 in the abbey of Chiaravalle. We know that it was produced in many monasteries using special cauldrons. This is how the first cheese factories were established and the first dairy producers and experts in the production of cheese developed the trade. The monks called it “caseus vetus,” 11
which means old cheese. But the cheese consumers of the period were unfamiliar with Latin and instead called it by another name inspired by its unusual granular consistency. This is how it acquired the name “formaggio di grana” (grana cheese) or simply grana, and was distinguished according to the province of production. The most commonly cited granas at that time were from the area of Lodi, considered by many to be the oldest, but also from the areas of Milan, Parma, Piacenza and Mantua. This product soon came to be considered precious and its popularity spread. In 1504, Isabella d’Este gave to her father and her brother Ferdinando, lords of Ferrara, “half a cheese each because the goodness of it is more important than the quantity.” Each wheel (36 kg) is controlled by an expert of the Consorzio for the Protection of Grana Padano and receives the Consorzio’s diamond-shaped marking, which indicates that the cheese passed inspection and is genuine Grana Padano PDO. In addition, each wheel bares another important sign of distinction and guarantee: the four-leaf branding in which the dairy house, province, date and year of production are etched. Nutritionally speaking, Grana Padano defies the popular notion that cheese contains only saturated fats. In fact, not all fats are harmful. Grana Padano contains more than 40% unsaturated fats, the type considered best for our bodies. It takes over fifteen liters of milk to make one kilogram of Grana Padano, which results in a cheese that is very concentrated in protein, calcium and nutrients. One hundred grams of Grana Padano containing 384 calories is equivalent to the protein found in 160 grams of meat and the nutritional ingredients of one and a half liters of milk.
Montasio PDO The production of this distinctive cheese, named after the mountain of its origins, began in the mid-1300s in monastic communities of the Veneto Alps. Nowadays, the area of production lies in the whole territory of Friuli Venezia-Giulia and the northern Veneto provinces, from Belluno to Treviso, and in parts of Padua and Venice provinces. Montasio PDO 12
is a full-fat, semisoft, cooked cow’s milk cheese that is formed into wheels of about fifteen pounds each. The smooth rind is a uniform straw color; the interior is creamy-hued with closely riddled, small holes. Three varieties are made: fresco (“fresh,” aged two to three months), semistagionato (“partially aged,” aged four to eight months) and vecchio (aged over a year). The name and production dairy are branded into the rind of the cheese. Montasio has a gentle, pleasant flavor that lasts through two years of aging. This cow’s milk cheese is consumed when it is young, at the end of a meal. As it ages and develops greater piquancy, it is used in cooking. It has a firm texture and a mild, agreeable flavor. In its young, soft form, Montastio is offered as an appetizer, grilled, folded into risotto, cut into matchsticks and added to salads, or grated and added to sauces for potato gnocchi. Its best use is as a straight eating cheese with good bread and good Veneto wine. In this way, its charms and the range of its flavors can be experienced directly.
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO is a fresh cheese made exclusively with water-buffalo milk from farms located in the traditional production zone in central-southern Italy: Campania Region (provinces of Caserta, Salerno and parts of Naples and Benevento), Lazio Region (parts of the Latina, Frosinone and Rome provinces), Puglia Region (parts of the Foggia province) and the Molise Region (Venafro). The origins of mozzarella are directly related to the introduction in Italy of the water-buffalo (a breed from India, not the American bison): the most likely hypothesis is that the Norman kings, around XI century, set up farms in Southern 13
Italy with water-buffalos from Sicily, where they had been introduced by the Arabs. The term mozzarella derives from the Italian word “mozzare” which means to “cut off”, an operation in which the spun paste is hand-cut using the forefinger and the thumb. Because of its traditional characteristics, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana obtained the prestigious PDO trademark through EC Regulation, which requires that strict production standards be upheld.
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana has become an integral part of the Mediterranean diet: easy to digest and low in lactose and cholesterol. It is an excellent source of protein with a high biological value, along with moderate levels of fat. By law, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana can be sold only if it is pre-packaged at the source, and each package must have the trademark of origin: the complete name of denomination and not only mozzarella or mozzarella di bufala. To enjoy Mozzarella di Bufala Campana at best, a few rules must be followed: keep it always in its liquid; store in a cool place; make sure it is at room temperature before eating.
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Parmigiano-Reggiano® PDO This firm, grainy cow’s milk cheese has been made in the area around the Po Valley, in outlying areas of the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia, since the early Middle Ages. It is the most well-known and highly prized of all Italian cheeses. The soil, climate, air, vegetation and cattle-raising traditions of five provinces (Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantova right bank of the river Po, Bologna left bank of the river Reno) are essential to the success of this cheese, as is the know-how of those producing it. The art of ParmigianoReggiano® PDO making has always been passed on from generation to generation of cheese makers and farmers whose entire lives were - and still are - devoted to its craft: from cows’ breeding, selection and feeding in order to obtain the best quality milk, to the long and complex making process and maturing.
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It takes about 150 gallons of milk to make an eighty-pound wheel, which is aged from a minimum of 12 months to 36 months and more, during which time the flavor intensifies. In general, different degrees of maturing can be used for different purposes when cooking with ParmigianoReggiano®: while younger cheese is more suitable to be eaten on its own as an appetizer, for instance, or in dessert preparations, older cheese is a perfect choice both for eating paired with a nice glass of wine, shaving over salads, grating over pastas, or as an ingredient in stuffings. The marks of origin that you can find on every single wheel of ParmigianoReggiano® cheese can provide very useful information, such as: the dairy house making code, month and year of production of the cheese, the typical pin-dot logo bearing the writing “Parmigiano-Reggiano” that you can easily recognize on every wedge of cheese, and a casein plate that guarantees a complete traceability system. The paste of Parmigiano-Reggiano® should be a rich, warm straw color. It has an intense flavor and fragrance and a firm, moist, flaky, granular texture. Parmigiano-Reggiano® has many pretenders, but there is no substitute for the genuine handmade cheese from Emilia-Romagna. Domestically made “Parmesan” cheeses and bottled or canned powders called “Parmesan” or “Italian-style grating cheese” are not the genuine article. Eaten as a table cheese, freshly cut Parmigiano-Reggiano® can be eaten as a separate course, accompanied, perhaps, by pears or other fresh fruit, but certainly with a glass of good red wine, preferably from the Emilia-Romagna region. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano® is used in a vast number of dishes, enhancing their flavors and textures. It should always be added at the last moment to preserve the rich, complex flavors of the cheese. To cut Parmigiano-Reggiano®, use an almond-shaped knife designed specifically for this purpose. Insert it into the cheese and twist it to flake, rather than slice pieces off. Cutting it in this way keeps the “grain” of the cheese intact, which is essential to experiencing the true texture of the cheese.
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If grating Parmigiano-Reggiano®, grate just before use. Or, grate it, transfer it to a freezer container or bag, and freeze it immediately.
Pecorino Romano PDO Pecorino Romano PDO is one of the oldest cheeses in existence. The method for making Pecorino Romano from fresh sheep’s milk, salt and lamb rennet, mentioned by the Roman agronomist, Lucius Moderatus Columella, in his firstcentury A.D. treatise, De re rustica, is essentially the same method that is used today. Pecorino Romano certainly originated in the region of Lazio and formed part of the daily rations for the legionaries of ancient Rome. Today, it is Lazio’s most important export. Approximately 30,000 tons (300,000 quintals) of the cheese are produced annually, mostly in Sardinia. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the pressures of increasing consumer demand, and the existence of an established tradition in Sardinia of making cheese from sheep’s milk, prompted some of the major manufacturers in Lazio to relocate their activities to the island. They brought with them their master cheese makers and salters to teach the islanders the secrets of their trade. Pecorino Romano PDO is aged for eight months, which accounts for its distinctively sharp and salty flavor. It is typically a grating cheese and irreplaceable in countless recipes.
Pecorino Toscano PDO Sheep-rearing in Tuscany pre-dates the Roman era and goes back to Etruscan times. Book XI of Pliny the Elder’s 17
Natural History contains a reference to an already flourishing Pecorino industry in Tuscany. Pliny describes the Pecorino as being made in the area of Luni, present-day Lunigiana, and imported to Rome by merchants. In the fifteenth century, Pecorino Toscano, then known as Cacio Marzolino or “March cheese” because its production traditionally began in March and continued throughout Spring, was appreciated as much by potentates as by the peasants who made it. Such figures as Pope Pius Piccolomini and Lorenzo the Magnificent are known to have been great consumers of the cheese. Pecorino Toscano is a table or grating cheese. It is soft or semi-hard and made exclusively from sheep’s milk. The cheese is cylindrical with a rind ranging in color from yellow to deep-yellow, depending on its age - the deeper the color, the older the cheese. The paste is close-textured and resistant to the knife. The color of the paste ranges from white with a hint of yellow if soft, to pale yellow if semi-hard. The taste is fragrant, savory and distinctive. The Pecorino Toscano production zone includes the whole region of Tuscany as well as several town districts in the provinces of Perugia and Viterbo.
Provolone Valpadana PDO Provolone Valpadana PDO originated in southern Italy, but it is impossible to be certain about the precise region. The term “Provolone” does not appear until the end of the last century, around the same time as the production of the cheese moved northwards and it assumed its currently larger size. This firm cheese goes to market in various shapes, including round and tubular, and in at least three sizes, each 18
with its own name. There is provolette (small), provole (medium) and provolone (large). When young, the cheese is more delicate but still assertive. As it ages, it becomes increasingly piquant. Provolone Valpadana is primarily consumed as a table cheese.
Provolone Valpadana PDO is a semi-hard whole cow’s milk cheese with a smooth rind. It comes in a variety of forms and may be shaped like a salami, a melon, a cone or a pear. It may also have a spherical knob on the top. The taste varies from sweet to sharp depending on the type of rennet used in curdling. Veal rennet will yield a sweet cheese; lamb or kid rennet will yield one with a sharper taste. The minimum ripening period is one month; the maximum may exceed one year. Provolone Valpadana is made throughout the provinces of Cremona, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Rovigo, Padua and Piacenza, and in some parts of the provinces of Bergamo, Mantua, Lodi and Trento. 19
Recipes: Cicoria, cacio e uova Chicory, Pecorino and Egg Soup For 6 people “Cacio” refers to Pecorino, sheep’s milk cheese.
1 quart tasty homemade chicken broth 1 head green chicory, about 1 pound 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional salt if necessary 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 onions, cut into julienne 3 eggs, lightly beaten 4 tablespoons freshly-grated imported Italian Pecorino Romano PDO, plus more for the table In an ample soup kettle, keep the broth warm. Core the chicory and wash it well to remove any traces of sand. Place in a large pot or bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for one hour to enable it to release some of its bitterness. Drain and chop. Bring enough water to a rolling boil to cover the chicory. Add the greens and 1 teaspoon salt and cover. Cook over high heat until tender but not mushy, about 4 minutes. Drain the chicory and squeeze all the water out. Set aside. In an ample saucepan, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until they are wilted but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicory and toss. In the meantime, heat the broth to a gentle simmer. Mix the beaten eggs with the Pecorino Romano and stir them into the hot broth. When the egg is solidified into strands, stir in the chicory. Taste for salt. Serve at once. Pass the Pecorino Romano.
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Funghi al forno alla parmigiana Baked Whole Mushrooms with ParmigianoReggiano速 Cheese For 4 people
1 pound fresh mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelles, or oyster mushrooms, or a mixture 1 tablespoon water For the topping:
3 tablespoons freshly grated imported Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano速 PDO 1 tablespoon dried bread crumbs zest of one lemon 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram or a pinch of dried marjoram 1 small clove garlic, minced fine sea salt freshly-milled black pepper to taste extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Remove any dirt from the mushrooms with a soft brush or dry cotton towel. Trim off the hard tips of the stems. If the mushrooms are extremely large, halve or quarter them lengthwise, depending upon their size. Select a baking pan large enough to hold the mushrooms in a single layer and sprinkle the bottom with the water. Put the mushrooms in, stems up. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping, including salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the mushrooms. Drizzle generously with the olive oil. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the mushrooms are golden, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
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Melanzane ripiene con Caciocavallo Silano Eggplants Stuffed with Caciocavallo For 4 people
2 small (3/4 pound each) or 3 small eggplants 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and diced 3 tablespoons capers 3 anchovies, chopped half an onion, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 ounces Caciocavallo Silano PDO cheese, diced sea salt to taste freshly milled black pepper to taste Wash the eggplants and wipe them dry. Cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving about 1/2 -inch of the flesh in the shell. Chop the pulp coarsely. If there are excess seeds, discard them. Suspend a colander over another bowl or a sink. Sprinkle the chopped pulp liberally with salt and put it in the colander. Place a plate on top of the pulp and, over it, place a weight to allow the bitter liquid to drain out easily, about 40 minutes. When the eggplant pulp has drained, rinse it well with cold running water. Use your hands to squeeze it dry. Dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towels. Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange the eggplant halves side by side in an oiled baking pan. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute’ the garlic over medium-low heat until it is softened but not colored, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, the pulp of the eggplant, capers, anchovies and onion. Raise the heat to medium and saute’ until the mixture is softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Caciocavallo Silano, parsley and basil. 22
Add salt and pepper. Blend all the ingredients well and fill the eggplants with the mixture. Sprinkle with the oregano. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until cooked through and nicely colored on top, about 1 hour. Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow it to settle for 10 minutes. Serve.
Penne al Gorgonzola Penne with Gorgonzola Sauce For 4 to 6 people Here is a recipe for a classic pasta sauce made with Gorgonzola cheese from Lombardy. For this recipe, it is important that the Gorgonzola is the young, “sweet” (dolce) or mild variety.
6 ounces sweet (young) imported Italian Gorgonzola PDO cheese 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano® PDO freshly-milled white pepper 1 pound penne or penne rigate 2 tablespoons kosher salt Fill a soup kettle with 5 quarts water. Cover and bring it to a boil over high heat. In the meantime, in an ample skillet large enough to accommodate the penne later, melt the butter and add the Gorgonzola, pressing with a wooden spoon to break it up. When the cheese has dissolved, add the cream. Warm over medium-low heat until the sauce comes to a slow simmer and it is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano® cheese. When the water comes to a rolling boil, drop in the penne and 2 tablespoons salt. Continue to cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss. Serve at once. 23
Finocchi gratinati Baked Fennel GratinĂŠe For 4 people The anisey flavor of fresh fennel is very appealing combined with cheeses in this gratinĂŠed dish, particularly in the company of pork, fowl and game.
6 bulbs fennel salt 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons freshly-grated Grana Padano PDO 3 ounces Montasio PDO cheese, shredded Trim the tough bottom off the fennel bulb as you would celery. Cut off the tough stalks and feathery leaves; reserve them for some other use and trim any blemishes or brown spots. Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into quarters. Place the fennel in a saucepan with just enough water to cover and add salt (1 teaspoon to a quart). Bring the water to a boil. Cook over medium heat until almost tender, 6-7 minutes. Drain. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the fennel wedges in a baking dish. Scatter the butter and cheeses on top. Slide the dish onto the middle rack of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and a golden crust is formed, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
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Fiori di zucca ripieni con Asiago Fresco ed Asiago Stagionato Zucchine Blossoms Filled with Asiago Cheese For 2 people
2 ounces Asiago Stagionato PDO 2 onces Asiago Fresco PDO 6-8 zucchine blossoms (of leave of other vegetables, such as swiss chard or spinach) a little white flour starch flour beer for the tempura extra-virgin olive oil salt to taste Wash the zucchine blossoms and dry them well. Cut the Asiago Fresco and Asiago Stagionato into small pieces. Prepare the tempura: mix a little white flour and a little starch flour into the beer until a clear mixture is obtained with the consistency of a beaten egg. Fill the blossoms with Asiago Fresco and Asiago Stagionato, dip them one by one in the tempura and then fry them in extra-virgin olive oil until they are crisp. Alternately make rolls with the leaves of other vegetables, such as spinach or chard, after they have been parboiled.
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