cook´s

food & wine cook´s links your story cook books cook´s toys edibles
forum

Glossary of Italian Cheeses

Formaggi Italiani - Alphabetical List of Common Italian Cheeses

ASIAGO d'ALLEVO: This was originally ewe's milk cheese made in the foothills
of the Dolomites although now it is made almost entirely from cow's milk in the
provinces of Vincenza and Trento and parts of Padua and Treviso. Asiago is a
pressed cooked cheese that produces a firm,strong table cheese after two to six
months. Cheeses ripened for longer are used purely for grating and Asiago
d'Allevo is renowned as an extra strong cheese. The protein content is 33%;
fat/dry matter content, 34%. Calories per 4 oz. The name Asiago was previously
classified as a trade name, in December 1978 was recognized as a name of
origin. Asiago Pressato is similar to d'Allevo but is a milder cheese, ripened for
twenty to forty days and used almost exclusively as a table cheese.

BEL PAESE: This unpressed, cooked and ripened cheese was created by
Egidio Galbani in 1906 and made at Melzo in Lombardy. It is one of the most
popular cheeses of this century and is creamy white or pale yellow, soft, buttery
and elastic, without holes but with a pleasant, tangy flavor. The name means
beautiful country. Bel Paese is matured for about 50 days and contains 48%-50%
fat in dry matter

BURRINI: This is a specialty cheese from the very south of Italy, the regions of
Puglia and Calabria in particular. Small, pear shaped cheeses of mild and
distinctive flavor are carefully molded around a pat of sweet butter, which later
will be spread on bread and eaten with the cheese. These cheeses are ripened
for just afew weeks and for export are usually dipped in wax or specially
packaged. This cheese is also sometimes called Butirri, Burielli or Provole.

CACETTI: These small cheeses are very similar to Burrini but without the heart
of butter. They are spun curd cheeses, dipped in wax and hung by raffia strands
to ripen for about ten days.

CACIOCAVALLO: caciocavallo cheese [kah-choh-kuh-VAH-loh] From southern

Italy, caciocavallo (meaning "cheese on horseback") is said to date back to the
14th century, and believed by some to have originally been made from mare's
milk. Today's caciocavallo comes from cow's milk and has a mild, slightly salty
flavor and firm, smooth texture when young (about 2 months). As it ages, the
flavor becomes more pungent and the texture more granular, making it ideal for
grating. Caciocavallo is one of the pasta filata types of cheeses (like
PROVOLONE and MOZZARELLA), which means it has been stretched and
shaped by hand. It may be purchased plain or smoked and comes in string-tied
gourd or spindle shapes.

CRESCENZA: [krih-SHEHN-zuh] A rich, creamy, fresh cheese, also known as

Crescenza Stracchino , that's widely made in Italy's regions of Lombardy,
Piedmont and Veneto. Its texture and flavor are similiar to that of a mild CREAM
CHEESE, and it becomes very soft and spreadable at room temperature.
Crescenza is made from uncooked cow's milk and is sometimes blended with
herbs. It doesn't age well and, although not widely imported, can be found in
some specialty cheese shops.

CURD: 1. When it coagulates, milk separates into a semisolid portion (curd) and
a watery liquid (WHEY). CHEESE is made from the curd. 2. A creamy mixture
made from juice (usually lemon, lime or orange), sugar, butter and egg yolks.
The ingredients are cooked cool, the lemon (or lime or orange) curd becomes
thick enough to spread and is used as a topping for breads and other baked
goods. Various flavors of curd are available commercially in gourmet markets
and some supermarkets.

DOLCELATTE: This is a smooth, creamy blue cheese, milder than gorgonzola,

and a registered trade name meaning "sweet milk". It is a semi-soft cheese with
50% fat in dry matter, made from cows milk and matured for about forty days

FONTINA: A very poular Italian cheese, genuine fontina comes from the Valle
d'Aosta in the most north west corner of Italy and plays an important part in the
cuisine of that area. It is made from the full cream milk of once milked cows with
acidity produced by natural fermentation. The cheese is medium hard although
its flesh is soft and melts easily. It is straw colored with a mild delicate flavor. It is
rippened for about three months and each cheese is marked with a picture of the
Matterhorn (which majestically marks the borders of Italy and switzerland).
Fontina has a 45% fat/dry matter content and 347 calories per 4 oz. serving.

GORGONZOLA: This is another exceptional product from the Po valley and is

said to be even older than Grana cheese. It is named after the town where it is
believed to have originated but is no longer made, not far from Milan. It is
produced now at both local and mass production level in provinces of Bergamo,
Brescia, Como, Cremona, Cuneo, Milan, Novara, Pavia, Vercelli and the area of
Casale Monferrato. A protected cheese, it is produced all the year round and is
Italy's major blue veined variety. It has a strong flavor from it's compact, creamy
texture and is white or straw colored with green flecks and veins. Gorgonzola is a
soft, high fat, unboiled cheese produced from cows milk. 48% fat/dry matter
content.

GRANA: Two of Italies most widely acclaimed cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano

and Grana Padano, belong to the Grana (granular) group of cheeses, those
finely-grained hard cheeses which originated in the Po Valley to the north of the
country. These areas argued for centuries about who should carry the name
"Grana", and in 1955 the names "Grana Padano" and "Parmigiano Reggiano"
were given legal protection and the characteristics and areas of production of
each were precisely delineated. They are basically very similar cheeses although
of the two, Grana Padano matures marginally faster.

GRUVIERA: Gruviera cheese; Groviera [groo-vee-YEHR-uh] This Italian version

of the Swiss GRUYERE has a sweet, nutlike flavor that is very like the original. It
can be used in any manner suitable for Gruyere.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: this undisputed king of Italian cheese is believed to

have originated in the provence of Reggio Emilia south of the Po Valley. The
area was formerly under the rule of the Dukedom of Parma which was the main
trading center, hense it's name. It was called the great cheese of seven countries
because the ancient formula remained unchanged throughout 700 years of
history in which the area was under the rule of seven different countries. Records
dating back to AD 1200-1300 describe the characteristics of Parmigiano
Reggiano as they are today and it is assumed that the real origins of the cheese
go back even further to the fine cheeses extolled by early Latin writers. It is
produced from the first of April to the eleventh of November in large drums
anywhere from 50-100 lbs. It is made with the unpasteurized but tested milk of
morning and evening milkings in it's "zona tipica" of Bologna, Mantua, Modena,
Parma and Reggio Emilia where the soil, climate, vegetation, fodder and cattle
rearing traditions have influenced its flavor and quality over the centuries

GRANA PADANO: is very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano but ripens more

quickly and is left to mature for a year or two, being sold at varying degrees of
maturity. Its history is as old as Parmesan and it also is a pressed, cooked
cheese from the partly skimmed milk of two milkings. Unlike Parmesan, Grana
Padano is made throughout the year in the following regions: Cremona, Mantua
(on the opposite bank of the Po to Parmesan production), Piacenza, Brescia,
Bergamo, Pavia, Alessandria, Asti, Cuneo, Novara, Turin, Vercelli, Como, Milan,
Sondrio, Varese, Trento, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice, Verona, Bologna (on
the opposite bank of the river Reno to Parmesan production), Ferrara, Forli and
Ravenna.

MASCARPONE: a cows milk cheese that must be eaten very fresh, mascarpone
is a delicious creamy dessert cheese, a bit like whipped butter of stiffly whipped
cream. It is often sweetened slightly and served with fresh fruit and liquers.
Originally made only in Lombardy in the autumn and winter but now available all
the year round and is usually sold in muslin bags or tubs.

MOZZARELLA: mozzarella cheese [maht-suh-REHL-lah; moht-suh-REHL-lah]

Hailing from Italy, mozzarella is a mild, white fresh cheese that's made by the
special PASTA FILATA process, whereby the CURD is dipped into hot WHEY,
then stretched and kneaded to the desired consistency. At one time, mozzarella
was made only from the milk of water buffaloes. Today, however, the majority of
it is made with cow's milk. Mozzarella comes in two basic styles. Most regular
mozzarella, which can be found in lowfat and nonfat forms in supermarkets, is
factory produced. It has a semisoft, elastic texture and is drier and not as
delicately flavored as its fresher counterpart. This style of mozzarella is best used
for cooking and is popular for pizza because of its excellent melting qualities.
Fresh mozzarella, which is usually packaged in whey or water, is often labeled
"Italian style." It's generally made from whole milk and has a much softer texture
and a sweet, delicate flavor. Mozzarella di bufala (also called simply buffalo
mozzarella) is the most prized of the fresh mozzarellas. Most buffalo mozzarella
available in the United States is made from a combination of water buffalo milk
and cow's milk. Two popular forms of fresh mozzarella are boconccini, which are
little (about 1 inch in diameter) balls that are commonly marinated in olive oil and
sometimes herbs, and a smoked version called mozzarella affumicata . There's
also the unique manteca , in which the mozzarella is molded around a lump of
butter. Fresh mozzarella can be found in Italian markets, cheese shops and
some supermarkets. It's excellent simply spread on bread with salt, pepper and a
little olive oil.

PECORINO ROMANO: pecorino cheese [peh-kuh-REE-noh] In Italy, cheese

made from sheep's milk is known as pecorino . Most of these cheeses are aged
and classified as GRANA (hard,granular and sharply flavored); however, the
young, unaged Ricotta pecorino is soft, white and mild in flavor. Aged pecorinos
range in color from white to pale yellow and have a sharp, pungent flavor. The
best known of this genre is Pecorino Romano, which comes inlarge cylinders
with a hard yellow rind and yellowish-white interior. Other notable pecorinos are
Sardo, Siciliano and Toscano. These hard, dry cheeses are good for grating and
are used mainly in cooking. They can be used in any recipe that calls for
PARMESAN CHEESE, especially if a sharper flavor is desired.

PROVOLONE: provolone cheese [proh-voh-LOH-nee] This southern Italian

cow's milk-cheese has a firm texture and a mild, smoky flavor. It has a golden-
brown rind and comes in various forms, though the squat pear shape is most
recognizable. Most provolone is aged for 2 to 3 months and has a pale-yellow
color. However, some are aged 6 months to a year or more. As the cheese
ripens, the color becomes a richer yellow and the flavor more pronounced. It is
an excellent cooking cheese and aged provolones can be used for grating.
Provolone is packaged in various sizes from little pear-shaped packages to giant
sausage-shaped 200-pounders. Provolone is also now manufactured in the
United States.

RICOTTA: ricotta cheese [rih-KAHT-tuh] This rich fresh cheese is slightly grainy
but smoother than cottage cheese. It's white, moist and has a slightly sweet
flavor. Most Italian ricottas are made from the WHEY drained off while making
cheeses such as MOZZARELLA and PROVOLONE. Technically, this type of
ricotta is not really cheese because it's made from a cheese by-product. In the
United States, ricottas are usually made with a combination of whey and whole or
skim milk. The word ricotta means "recooked," and is derived from the fact that
the cheese is made by heating the whey from another cooked cheese. Ricotta is
a popular ingredient in many Italian savory preparations like LASAGNA and
MANICOTTI, as well as desserts like CASSATA and CHEESECAKE.

STRACCHINO: [straht-CHEE-noh] A fresh, cow's-milk cheese from Italy's

Lombardy region. Stracchino contains about 50 percent milk fat. Its flavor is mild
and delicate - similar to but slightly more acidic than CREAM CHEESE.
Stracchino Crescenza has a somewhat higher milk fat content, which results in a
slightly creamier texture.

TALEGGIO: Taleggio cheese [tahl-EH-zhee-oh] Hailing from Italy's Lombardy

region, this rich (48 percent fat), semisoft cheese is made from whole cow's milk.
Its flavor can range from mild to pungent, depending on its age. When young,
Taleggio's color is pale yellow and its texture semisoft. As it ages it darkens to
deep yellow and becomes rather runny. Taleggio is sold in flat blocks or cylinders
and is covered either with a wax coating or a thin mold. It's excellent with salad
greens or served with fruit for dessert.

WHEY: whey [HWAY; WAY] The watery liquid that separates from the solids
(CURDS) in cheesemaking. Whey is sometimes further processed into whey
cheese (see CHEESE). It can be separated another step, with butter being made
from the fattier share. Whey is also used in processed foods such as crackers.
Primarily, however, whey is more often used as livestock feed than it is in the
human diet.

Portions excerpted from The Food Lover's Companion, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst, Barron's
Educational