Kamil Perry
Asiago is a northern Italian cheese made from cow's milk. However, goat milk and goat cheese are preferred dairy products in much of the world outside the West. Asiago goat cheese is made with 100% single-sourced farmstead goat's milk. Asiago cheese is produced in two forms: fresh Asiago, also known as Pressato, and mature Asiago, which is called Asiago d'Allevo. Fresh Asiago is white or pale yellow in color with a thin rind, and small, irregular holes throughout. Aged Asiago is pale yellow to amber yellow in color with a compact to firm texture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Milk | Goat's milk |
| Texture | Semi-soft |
| Taste | Rich, tangy |
| Place of Origin | Asiago, Italy |
| Aging Time | Fresh Asiago: 20-40 days; Aged Asiago: 6 months to 2 years |
| Rind | Edible, thin |
| Fat Content | Minimum 34% |
| Colour | Off-white to pale yellow |
| Shape | Cylindrical |
| Diameter | 30-40 cm |
| Height | 15 cm |
| Weight | 8-15 kg |
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What You'll Learn
Asiago cheese is made from cow's milk
Asiago cheese is a specialty of the Italian regions of Vicenza, Pavova, Treviso, and Trento. It is made from cow's milk and has a protected designation of origin (DOP) status, meaning that authentic Asiago can only be produced in specific regions of Northern Italy. The DOP production area is strictly defined, starting from the meadows of the Po Valley and ending in the Alpine pastures between the Asiago plateau and Trentino's highlands.
Asiago cheese is produced in two forms: fresh Asiago, also known as Pressato, and mature Asiago, called Asiago d'Allevo. Fresh Asiago is made using whole milk and is aged for about a month, resulting in a milder flavor and softer, smoother texture than aged Asiago. It has a thin, elastic crust with a soft, buttery inside that is white or slightly yellowish. It is typically sliced for paninis or other sandwiches and can also be melted on various dishes.
Aged Asiago, on the other hand, can be aged anywhere from a few months to two years. It has a crumbly texture and a flavor that slightly resembles Parmesan. The longer it is aged, the more granular its texture becomes. The minimum fat content for Asiago cheese is 34%. The aged version can be grated and used similarly to Parmesan in salads, soups, pastas, and sauces.
The process of making Asiago cheese involves heating the milk to 95°F before adding rennet and enzymes to form curds. The curds are then kneaded and cooked again at approximately 113°F. For fresh Asiago, the cheese is salted and pressed before drying for two days, soaking in brine for two days, and then dry-aging for about a month. For aged Asiago, the curds are placed in molds and turned several times to drain off the whey. The cheese is then salted by spreading salt over the surface or soaking it in brine before the ageing process, which must take place within the area of origin.
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Asiago goat cheese exists and is made from goat's milk
Asiago cheese is a specialty of the Italian regions of Vicenza, Pavova, Treviso, and Trento. It is a cow's milk cheese, with a traditional version called Asiago d'Allevo and a modern industrial version called Asiago Pressato. However, Asiago goat cheese also exists and is made from goat's milk.
Asiago goat cheese is a rich and flavorful cheese made with 100% single-sourced farmstead goat's milk. While cow's milk Asiago is produced in two forms based on freshness, Asiago goat cheese does not seem to have this same distinction.
Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years and is likely one of the earliest dairy products. It is made by allowing raw milk to naturally curdle, then draining and pressing the curds. If the cheese needs to be aged, it is often brined to form a rind and then stored in a cheese cave for several months to cure.
Goat cheese comes in a variety of forms, from soft and spreadable to hard and aged. The texture and flavor of goat cheese are influenced by the diet of the goats, as they tend to eat many bitter plants that other animals cannot digest. This results in a tangy flavor that some consumers find disagreeable, while others seek out particularly "goaty" cheese.
While Asiago goat cheese may not be as widely recognized as its cow's milk counterpart, it exists and is crafted from goat's milk using traditional cheese-making techniques.
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Asiago cheese is produced in two forms: fresh and mature
Asiago cheese is a specialty of the Italian regions of Vicenza, Pavova, Treviso, and Trento. It is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Asiago, Italy, and can assume different textures according to its aging. It is classified as a Swiss-type or Alpine cheese.
Mature or aged Asiago, also known as Asiago d'Allevo, has a crumbly texture and a flavor that slightly resembles Parmesan. It is often grated in salads, soups, pastas, and sauces. The traditional version of Asiago d'Allevo is a hard, sharp cheese with very fine holes, used as a grating cheese. It is a sweet curd, semi-cooked, unpasteurized cheese. The longer the aging period, the more granular the texture becomes. Asiago d'Allevo is matured for different periods: Mezzano for 4-6 months, Vecchio for more than ten months, and Stravecchio for two years or more than 18 months. The aged version can be grated and used as you would Parmesan.
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Fresh Asiago is also known as Asiago Pressato
Asiago is a northern Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the plateau in the regions of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige where it was first produced. It is now also produced in other countries, including the US and Australia.
There are two versions of Asiago: a traditional artisanal version, Asiago d'Allevo, and a modern industrial version, Asiago Pressato, which was developed in the 1920s in response to market demand for a fresh cheese. Pressato is the more popular version in Italy, outselling the aged version by more than three times.
Fresh Asiago, also known as Asiago Pressato, is smooth and produced using fresh whole milk. It ages for up to 40 days and has a thin, elastic crust with a soft, buttery inside that is white or slightly yellowish. It has a mild, milky flavour with notes of tangy yoghurt and rich cream. It is semi-firm with larger holes than the aged version and a fat content of 48%. It is made from pasteurised cow's milk curdled with calf's rennet. The curds are cooked, moulded, and aged for 20 to 30 days. The rounds of cheese are between 30 and 40 cm in width and weigh from 11 to 15 kg.
Fresh Asiago is typically sliced and used in paninis or other sandwiches, or melted on dishes such as grilled sandwiches or cantaloupe. It can also be cubed and used as a snacking cheese, or grated as an ingredient in cooking.
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Aged Asiago is also known as Asiago d'Allevo
Asiago is a northern Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It is named after the plateau in the Veneto region where it was first produced. The cheese can assume different textures according to its aging process. Fresh Asiago, or Asiago Pressato, is smooth and produced using fresh whole milk. It ages up to 40 days and has a thin, elastic crust with a soft, buttery inside that is white or slightly yellowish.
Aged Asiago, or Asiago d'Allevo, has a crumbly texture and a flavor that resembles Parmesan. The d'Allevo version is the more traditional of the two types of Asiago. Once the partially skimmed milk is heated and coagulated, it is placed in special wooden molds, brined, and then aged for several months. The minimum fat content for Asiago cheese is 34%. The older the cheese is, the more granular its texture becomes.
Asiago d'Allevo is classified according to its aging duration. Asiago Mezzano, or middle Asiago, is aged for 4 to 6 months and has a compact paste with a sweetish taste. Asiago Vecchio, or old Asiago, is aged for 10 to 16 months and has a hard paste with a bitter taste. Asiago Stravecchio, or very old Asiago, is aged for more than 15 or 18 months and has a very hard and grainy paste with an amber color and a bitter, spicy taste.
Asiago d'Allevo is often grated over salads, soups, pastas, and sauces. It pairs well with dried fruit flavors and can be served with a juicy zinfandel or an amber ale.
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Frequently asked questions
Asiago is a northern Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced in two forms: fresh Asiago, also known as Pressato, and mature Asiago, called Asiago d´Allevo.
Fresh Asiago has a milder flavour and softer, smoother texture than mature Asiago. Mature Asiago has a crumbly texture and a flavour that slightly resembles Parmesan. The older the cheese, the more granular its texture becomes.
No, Asiago is traditionally made from cow's milk. However, some companies do make Asiago cheese from goat's milk.
