Patrick Oconnell
Italy is known for its great variety of cheeses, from soft cheeses such as mozzarella to harder varieties like Parmesan. The country has the highest variety of cheeses in the world, with over 2,500 traditional varieties, including around 500 commercially recognised cheeses and more than 300 kinds of cheese with protected designation of origin. Some of the most famous Italian cheeses include Parmigiano-Reggiano, often referred to as 'Parmesan' or the 'King of Cheeses', mozzarella, ricotta, gorgonzola, mascarpone, and pecorino romano.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Italian Cheeses | Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Mascarpone, Pecorino Toscano, Asiago, Robiola, Fontina, Provolone Piccante, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, and more |
| Region of Origin | Regions vary, but include Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Mantua, Lombardy, Valle d'Aosta, Naples, Tuscany, Sardinia, Sicily, and more |
| Type of Milk | Cow, Sheep, Water Buffalo, Goat |
| Age | Varies; some are aged for over a year, while others are best fresh |
| Texture | Varies; some are soft, while others are hard or crumbly |
| Flavor | Varies; some are salty, nutty, spicy, sweet, or tangy |
| Serving Suggestions | Can be served on their own, or with bread, olive oil, pasta, salad, wine, polenta, risotto, and more |
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What You'll Learn
Mozzarella, including buffalo mozzarella and fior di latte
Mozzarella is perhaps Italy's most famous cheese. It is a soft, milky cheese that is commonly used on pizza. The secret behind its soft texture is the spinning and cutting process used in its production—in Neapolitan dialect, "mozzare" means "to cut".
The two main types of mozzarella are buffalo mozzarella and fior di latte mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella, or mozzarella di bufala, is made from the milk of Italian buffalo raised in designated areas of Campania, Lazio, Apulia, and Molise. It has a tangier and sweeter flavour than traditional fior di latte mozzarella. It is also creamier and has a stronger flavour than fior di latte, as buffalo milk is more acidic than cow's milk. It is often served by itself, with fresh tomatoes, or on a pizza.
Fior di latte, meaning "flower of the milk", is a cow's milk mozzarella. It is produced throughout Italy and has a sweet, light, and delicate flavour with an elastic texture. It has been used on pizza since the 1960s and is also used in caprese salads.
There are several other varieties of mozzarella. Mozzarella affumicata is known for its savoury and smoked flavour. Bocconcini are smaller, bite-sized forms of mozzarella, perfect for adding to salads or enjoying with fresh basil and tomato. Burrata is a pouch made from mozzarella, filled with cream and tied with a knot. It is much richer and creamier than mozzarella, with a looser texture.
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Parmigiano-Reggiano, also known as Parmesan or Parmigiano
Parmigiano-Reggiano is made between April and November, when cows graze on fresh pastures. The milk from the morning milking is mixed with the naturally skimmed milk from the previous evening, creating a part-skim mixture. This is pumped into copper-lined vats, and starter whey is added, along with thermophilic lactic acid bacteria. The temperature is raised to 33-35°C, and calf rennet is added. The mixture is left to curdle for 10-12 minutes, and then the curd is broken up into small pieces. The temperature is then raised to 55°C, and the curd is left to settle for 45-60 minutes.
The cheese is then put into a round, stainless steel form, pulled tight with a buckle, and left for a day or two. The cheese is then imprinted with its details, and put back into the form with a plastic belt. After a day, the wheel is put into a brine bath for 20-25 days, and then transferred to an ageing room for 12 months.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is often grated over pasta, stirred into soups and risottos, or eaten on its own. It is also shaved or grated over salads. It is commonly referred to as 'Parmesan' in English, and its name outside the EU is legally used for imitations.
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Pecorino Romano, a sheep's milk cheese
Pecorino Romano is a classic Italian cheese made from sheep's milk. It is one of the most well-known Italian cheeses outside of Italy and is considered to be the highest-quality sheep's milk cheese. The name Pecorino Romano derives from the Italian word "pecorino", meaning "sheep", and the Roman era during which the cheese was a food staple.
Pecorino Romano is made between October and July using a mix of morning and evening milk. The cheese curds are cut into rice-sized granules, heated, drained, cut into chunks, and then packed into moulds. The cheese is then dry-salted several times, a process that is carried out by eye and requires years of experience. It is generally aged for a minimum of five months, and sometimes up to a year or more, in temperature- and humidity-controlled environments. During this time, the cheese develops a hard, crumbly texture and a sharp, tangy, salty flavour.
Pecorino Romano is often used for cooking, as its salinity helps to elevate the flavours of any dish. It is excellent when grated over pasta or pizza, and can be used as a salty condiment for bread, potatoes, and roasted vegetables. It can also be mixed into breadcrumbs, dressings, and sauces. When served as part of a cheese plate, it pairs well with honey, fresh figs, a drizzle of Fig Vincotto, or aged balsamic vinegar.
Pecorino Romano is produced exclusively in Sardinia, Lazio, and the Tuscan Province of Grosseto, and benefits from the European Union's Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. It is one of four Italian sheep's milk cheeses that continues to be made using traditional methods in its areas of origin.
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Gorgonzola, a blue cheese
Gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese that has been produced in the Italian town of Gorgonzola since 879 AD. It is now primarily produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. Gorgonzola is made from unskimmed cow's or goat's milk and is aged in a cave for 3-4 months. Metal rods are inserted and removed periodically to allow for mould spores to grow into the blue-green veins that characterise this variety of blue cheese.
Gorgonzola has a unique taste and appearance compared to other blue cheeses. It tends to have a milder aroma and taste than other blue cheeses, making it a good introduction to blue cheese for novices. It has a creamy, rich flavour and is often creamy enough to be used as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip. Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: dolce (sweet) and piccante (spicy). Dolce is soft, buttery and creamy, while piccante is firmer, more crumbly and has a stronger flavour.
Gorgonzola is typically eaten as a topping and can be melted into a risotto, eaten with pasta, or used on pizza. The Bergamo region of Italy has a traditional dish that combines Gorgonzola with polenta. It is also often paired with a rich, full-bodied red wine like a malbec, zinfandel, or port.
Gorgonzola is a specific type of blue cheese, but not all blue cheese is Gorgonzola. Blue cheese is a category of cheese that contains spots or stripes of the mould Penicillium. Blue cheese can be made with milk from sheep, goats, or cows, while Gorgonzola is made specifically with cow's or goat's milk. Blue cheese is also generally aged for one to six months, while Gorgonzola is aged for about three to six months.
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Ricotta, a whey cheese
Italy is home to a wide variety of cheeses, including Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Mozzarella, and Mascarpone. One of these is Ricotta, a whey cheese.
Ricotta is a creamy, white, mild, and soft Italian cheese. It is traditionally made from the whey left behind after producing other cheeses, such as Mozzarella or Provolone. The whey can be obtained from various types of milk, including goat's, cow's, or sheep's milk. However, it's important to note that the whey must be produced without the use of acids like vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid for Ricotta-making.
Making Ricotta from whey is a simple and quick process. After collecting the whey, it is cooled down to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Then, a ladle or a coffee filter is used to separate the Ricotta from the whey. The Ricotta is then hung in a flour sack to drain any remaining whey. This process can take anywhere from one to several hours, depending on the amount of whey being processed. Finally, the soft Ricotta is removed from the sack and placed in a bowl, where it is salted to taste before being stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ricotta is a versatile cheese that can be drizzled with olive oil and scooped up with crusty bread, baked into dishes like lasagna, or even used in desserts like cheesecake. It is also commonly used in filled pasta, such as ravioli and tortellini. When making Ricotta at home, it is important to use non-iodized salt, such as sea salt, kosher salt, or cheese salt, and to allow the cheese to cure in the refrigerator for about 24 hours to enhance its flavor.
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Frequently asked questions
Some famous Italian cheeses include Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Ricotta, Taleggio, and Pecorino Romano.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is often referred to as the "King of Italian Cheeses". It is also commonly known as Parmesan.
Italian cheeses can be served in a variety of ways depending on the type of cheese. Softer cheeses like mozzarella and mascarpone are used in dishes like pizza, tiramisu, and cheesecake. Harder cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano are often grated over pasta, soups, and salads.
Some Italian cheeses that are similar to mozzarella include fior di latte, made from fresh cow's milk, mozzarella affumicata, which is savory and smoked, and burrata, a pouch made from mozzarella and filled with cream.
