Andy Montoya
Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd cheese, belonging to the pasta filata family. The cheese is aged, resulting in two main varieties: Provolone Dolce and Provolone Piccante. The former is aged for two to three months and has a sweet, buttery flavour, while the latter is aged for four months to a year and has a sharp, tangy flavour. Provolone is commonly served on sandwiches or as a table cheese, enjoyed with bread, crackers, or fruit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-hard cheese |
| Main Ingredient | Cow's milk |
| Variants | Provolone Dolce, Provolone Piccante, Provolone Valpadana, Provolone del Monaco |
| Origin | Southern Italy |
| Texture | Springy, stretchy, stringy, smooth, creamy, nutty |
| Taste | Mild, sweet, sharp, tangy, nutty, salty, bold, funky |
| Age | Provolone Dolce: 2-3 months, Provolone Piccante: 4 months to a year or more |
| Colour | Pale yellow |
| Shape | Pear, sausage, cone, cylinder |
| Size | 10 to 15 cm long |
| Production Process | Heating milk, adding rennet, heating mixture, breaking and draining curds, cooking curds, cutting curd blocks, stretching curds, moulding, cooling, brining, waxing, ageing |
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What You'll Learn
Provolone is made from cow's milk
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It is an Italian cheese, first made in the Campania region, near Vesuvius, in Southern Italy. It is now also made in other parts of Italy, particularly in the city of Cremona, and in the United States, especially in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Provolone is made from pasteurized cow's milk. The milk is heated, and rennet is added to form curds. The mixture is heated to 37-39°C (98-102°F). The curds are then broken up, drained, and cooked at 48-52°C (118-125°F) for 5 to 8 hours. The curds are cut into large blocks, which are then stretched and shaped by hand, or placed into molds. The resulting forms are cooled and then soaked in a lightly salted brine. The cheese is then wrapped in a wax or plastic rind and hung to dry and age.
The length of time that provolone is aged will determine its variety. Provolone Dolce is aged for two to three months and has a mild, buttery, or sweet flavour. Provolone Piccante is aged for four months to a year and has a sharp, tangy flavour. As provolone ages, it becomes drier and firmer, and its flavour becomes stronger.
Provolone is a popular cheese, especially in traditional Italian delis. It is often served on sandwiches or melted on dishes such as burgers, pizzas, and Italian dishes like lasagne and baked pasta. It is also served as a table cheese, either on its own or with bread, crackers, or fruit.
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It's a semi-hard cheese
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese with a complex flavour profile and a pleasant aroma. It is made from cow's milk and is aged, resulting in two main varieties: Provolone Dolce and Provolone Piccante. Provolone Dolce is the younger, milder version of Provolone, aged for two to three months. It has a pale yellow colour with a mild, creamy, and slightly sweet flavour. Provolone Piccante is the more mature and sharp version, aged for at least four months but often longer. It has a very sharp, tangy flavour.
The process of making Provolone demands care and skill at every stage of production. Fresh milk is brought directly from the polders and enriched with natural whey and rennet to form the curd. The curds are then cut and separated, and the excess whey is drained. Skilled workers then weave and shape the uncured cheese into tightly woven rondures, removing any remaining air bubbles and producing an even and flawless texture. The cheese is then brined and cooled before being hung in strings to rest and mature.
Provolone is typically aged for at least two months before it is ready for sale. However, the ageing process can vary depending on the desired final moisture and flavour profile. Longer ageing times result in a higher flavour development. Provolone can be aged for up to several years, during which time it will become drier and offer a firmer, less pliable texture.
As a semi-hard cheese, Provolone has a wide range of culinary uses. It is often used for melting, making it suitable for sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and Italian dishes like lasagne and baked pasta. It can also be enjoyed as a table cheese, either on its own or with bread, crackers, or fruit. Its complex flavour profile and pleasant aroma make it a popular choice for cheese boards and deli counters.
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It's aged for a minimum of two months
Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd cheese, which means that it is made by stretching and moulding the curds. This process gives provolone its characteristic elastic texture. After the curds are stretched and moulded, they are brined, cooled, and hung to dry and age.
The length of time that provolone is aged for will determine its final texture and flavour. Young provolone, aged for less than three or four months, is semi-firm, pliable, and has a smooth, creamy, and nutty texture. As provolone ages, it becomes drier and firmer, and its flavour becomes sharper and tangier.
Provolone is typically aged for a minimum of two months, although some sources suggest that it can be aged for as little as one month. During this time, the cheese develops a rich, nutty flavour and a semi-firm texture.
Provolone that has been aged for longer periods is known as "Provolone Piccante". This type of provolone is typically aged for at least four months, but it can be aged for up to several years. The longer ageing time allows the cheese to develop its characteristic sharp, tangy flavour and firmer texture.
The ageing process also affects the appearance of the provolone. Young provolone is typically pale yellow in colour, while aged provolone can develop a darker, more golden hue.
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It's a stretched-curd cheese
Provolone is an Italian stretched-curd cheese, first made in Southern Italy but now also produced in other parts of Italy and in the United States, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan. It is a semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese-making process involves heating milk and adding rennet to form curds. The curds are then heated, drained, and cooked, before being cut into large blocks. These blocks are then stretched and shaped by hand, or placed into moulds. The shaped curds are then cooled and soaked in a brine solution, before being coated in wax to protect them from mould. Finally, the cheese is hung to age.
The length of time for which the cheese is aged determines its final texture and flavour. Young provolone, aged for less than three to four months, has a semi-firm, pliable texture and a mild, nutty flavour. Provolone Dolce, aged for two to three months, has a pale yellow colour and a mild, creamy, slightly sweet flavour. Provolone Piccante, on the other hand, is aged for a minimum of four months, and has a sharp, tangy flavour. The longer provolone is aged, the drier and firmer its texture becomes.
Provolone is a popular cheese, well-suited to melting, and is commonly used in sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and Italian dishes like lasagne and baked pasta. It is also served as a table cheese, either on its own or with bread, crackers, or fruit. Its complex flavour profile and pleasant aroma make it a staple at deli counters, where it is often paired with salami and prosciutto.
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It's made in the shape of a pear
Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd cheese, which means that it is made by stretching and moulding the curds to form a smooth, elastic texture. The cheese is then hung to dry and age, during which time it develops its characteristic sharp and tangy flavour.
Provolone is typically made in the shape of a pear, sausage, or cone, with sizes ranging from 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) long. The pear shape is the most common and traditional way to form Provolone, and it is believed to have originated in the Campania region, near Vesuvius, where it is still produced today.
The process of making Provolone is an art form, and artisans take great care and skill in crafting this cheese. After the curds are formed, they are cut, separated, and drained of excess whey. The uncured cheese is then woven and shaped into tight rondures by skilled workers, removing any air bubbles and creating an even and flawless texture.
The cheese is then brined, cooled, and hung in strings to rest and mature. This hanging process is essential to the drying and ageing of the cheese, and it is during this time that Provolone develops its characteristic flavour and texture. The longer the cheese is aged, the sharper and more pungent its flavour becomes.
Provolone is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in many ways. It is often served as a table cheese, either on its own or with bread, crackers, or fruit. It is also suitable for melting, making it a popular choice for sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and Italian dishes like lasagne and baked pasta.
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Frequently asked questions
Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd cheese that is aged to develop its flavour.
First, warm cow's milk is allowed to curdle, separating the curds from the whey. The curds are then submerged in a bath of hot water until they float to the top. They are then removed, mixed, and kneaded until they become stretchy and stringy. The cheese is then soaked in brine, wrapped in wax or plastic, and left to age.
There are two main types of provolone: Provolone Dolce and Provolone Piccante. Dolce is the younger, milder version, aged for two to three months. It has a pale yellow colour and a creamy, slightly sweet flavour. Piccante is the more mature and sharp version, aged for at least four months but often longer. It has a bold, tangy flavour.
