Caciocavallo Silano DOP and
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Introduction
Here we continue our presentation of Italy's 155 products of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO, or, in Italian, DOP, Denominazione di Origine Protetta) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI, or IGP in Italian, Indicazione Geografica Protetta).
This month we are presenting two DOP cheeses produced with cow's milk which present substantial differences. One, the Caciocavallo Silano DOP, is produced in the southern Italian regions of Calabria, Basilicata, Campania, Molise and Apulia, while the other one, called Casatella Trevigiana DOP, is produced in an Alpine area at the extreme northern tip of the peninsula, in the province of Treviso.
Caciocavallo Silano DOP (Calabria, Basilicata, Campania, Molise e Apulia)
Protected Designations of Origin: July 1, 1996
Characteristics of the Product
The Caciocavallo Silano DOP is a semi-hard cheese produced with milk from different cow varieties, including the podolica, a typical type of cattle native of the interior of the Campania region and bred in the Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria regions as well.
The shape of the final product can be roundish, oval, or a truncated cone, depending upon the production area. The weight ranges from 1 to 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) and has a thin, smooth rind which is straw yellow in color, sometimes with furrows made by the thread used to hang the cheese.
The slice is white or light straw yellow, and the structure is compact. Delicately aromatic to the nose, the flavor is sweet when the cheese is young, while it acquires a spicy, hot palate as it ages.
Use and Wine Pairing
In addition to being used as regular sliced cheese, the young Caciocavallo Silano DOP is excellent grilled as well.
It pairs well with aged red wines, or structured whites, such as the Fiano di Avellino or Greco di Tufo. It pairs well with typical regional red meat- and mushroom-based recipes.
- Production Zone:
The Sila plateau in Calabria, inland areas of the provinces of Crotone, Catanzaro, Cosenza, Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, Napoli, Isernia, Campobasso, Bari, Taranto, Brindisi, Matera, and Potenza.
- Producers' Organization:
Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Caciocavallo Silano
Via degli Stadi, 90, Cosenza
Tel. / Fax: 0984-393007
Casatella Trevigiana DOP (Sardinia)
Protected Designations of Origin: Reg. CE 487, June 2, 2008
Ancient documents identify the area of origin of the Casatella Trevigiana DOP as the current province of Treviso, in the Italian region of Veneto. Both the milk used and the transformation of the product must take place within the limits of the Treviso province.
Traditionally the best cheese was produced in winter, when the cows were fed dried grass, thus producing a fatter milk, which is more suitable for the production of soft cheese, as is the case with the Casatella Trevigiana DOP. In the past, the Casatella was the only accompaniment served with polenta in the Treviso peasant's homes.
To produce Casatella Trevigiana DOP, the pasteurized milk is heated to a temperature of about 40°C (around 104°F), adding powdered fermenting agent and liquid curd, which generates the coagulation of the milk in 15 to 20 minutes. The curd is first broken into large grains, then poured raw into the molds. The cheese rests for one day before being salted in brine for 12 hours, and finally, it is left to mature for two days in refrigerated cellars.
Characteristics of the Product
The traditional shape of the Casatella Trevigiana DOP is round. The cheese is soft, polished, and color from milky white to creamy off-white, and melts in the mouth. The structure is usually compact, but small holes are acceptable. The perfume is light, milky and fresh. In the mouth it is sweet, characteristically milky with slightly sour notes.
Use and Wine Pairing
Since it is a fresh, raw cheese, the Casatella Trevigiana DOP must be kept at temperatures below 4°C (39.2°F) for not longer than 10 to 15 days, as it is inclined to lose its main characteristics over time.
This cheese pairs well with fresh, white wines, as well as with slightly sweet or sparkling wines, with light perfumes, such as Prosecco, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon, Verduzzo, Verdiso, Fiulano (formerly known as Tocai Fiulano) and Chardonnay.
- Production Zone:
Province of Treviso - Producers' Organization:
Consorzio per la Tutela della Casatella Trevigiana DOP
Viale Sante Biasuzzi, 20
31038 Paese (TV)
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