Randy Chandler
Asiago is a type of Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced in the Veneto and Trentino regions of Northern Italy and is sold in fresh and aged varieties. The texture and flavour of Asiago cheese can vary depending on how long it has been aged.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk type | Cow's milk |
| Cow breed | 60% Friesian cows, 40% "bruno-alpine" ("brown alpine") |
| Pasteurisation | Unpasteurised |
| Texture | Fresh Asiago is smooth, aged Asiago is crumbly |
| Colour | Fresh Asiago is creamy white, aged Asiago is pale yellow |
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What You'll Learn
Asiago is made from cow's milk
Asiago is a type of Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It is produced in the Veneto and Trentino regions of Northern Italy, specifically on the Asiago plateau in the Veneto foothills. The cheese has a protected designation of origin, meaning it can only be produced in these specific regions.
The cheese-making tradition in the provinces of Vicenza and Trento dates back more than a thousand years. While Asiago was traditionally made from sheep's milk, today it is produced from unpasteurised cow's milk. The milk used is 60% from Friesian cows and 40% from a cow breed called "bruno-alpine" ("brown alpine"). The milk is allowed to stand for 6 to 12 hours, so that the cream rises naturally to the top and can be skimmed off for other uses.
Asiago is made in both fresh and aged varieties, with the texture ranging from smooth and soft to hard and crumbly depending on how long it is aged. Fresh Asiago is a creamy white colour with a thin rind and small, irregular holes throughout. It has a mild flavour and a soft texture, and is great for melting on pasta, sandwiches and crackers.
Aged Asiago, on the other hand, is hard, crumbly and has a sharper, spicy taste similar to parmesan. It is often grated on top of soups, pasta and salads. The aged cheese is matured for different periods: Mezzano for 4-6 months, Vecchio for more than ten months, and Stravecchio for two years.
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It is produced in the Veneto foothills in Italy
Asiago is a type of Italian cow's milk cheese. It is produced in the Veneto foothills in Italy, specifically in the provinces of Vicenza and Trento. The cheese-making tradition in these regions dates back more than a thousand years.
The Asiago plateau in the Veneto foothills is the only place where Asiago DOP (protected designation of origin) is produced. This means that authentic Asiago can only be produced in specific regions of Northern Italy.
Asiago is made from unpasteurised cow's milk, although traditionally it was made from sheep's milk. The milk comes from two different breeds of cow: 60% from Friesian cows, and 40% from a breed called "bruno-alpine" ("brown alpine"). The milk is allowed to stand for 6 to 12 hours so that the cream rises naturally to the top and can be skimmed off for other uses.
There are two types of Asiago: fresh Asiago (Asiago Pressato) and aged Asiago (Asiago d'Allevo). Fresh Asiago has a smooth texture and a mild flavour, while aged Asiago is hard, crumbly, and has a sharper taste. The texture of Asiago depends on its ageing period, with fresh Asiago being soft and aged Asiago being hard.
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There are two types of Asiago: fresh and aged
Aged Asiago, on the other hand, is hard and crumbly, with a sharp, spicy flavour similar to parmesan. It is perfect for grating on top of soups, pasta, and salads. The texture and flavour of Asiago depend on its ageing period. The longer it is aged, the harder and sharper it becomes.
The traditional version of Asiago cheese is called Asiago d'Allevo, which is a hard, sharp cheese with very fine holes, used as a grating cheese. It is a sweet curd, semi-cooked, unpasteurised cheese. The modern industrial version is called Asiago Pressato.
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Fresh Asiago is soft and creamy white
Asiago is an Italian cow's milk cheese. It is made in both fresh and aged varieties. Fresh Asiago is soft and creamy white, with a smooth texture and a mild flavour. It is great for melting into pasta, sandwiches and crackers.
Fresh Asiago is also known as Asiago Pressato, which means 'pressed Asiago'. It is made from unpasteurised cow's milk, with 60% of the milk coming from Friesian cows and 40% from a breed called 'bruno-alpine' ('brown alpine'). The milk is allowed to stand for 6 to 12 hours, so that the cream rises naturally to the top and can be skimmed off for other uses.
Aged Asiago, on the other hand, is hard, crumbly and has a sharper taste, similar to Parmesan. It is often grated over soups, pasta and salads. This variety is called Asiago d'Allevo, which means 'breeding farm Asiago'. It is matured for different periods: Mezzano for 4-6 months, Vecchio for more than ten months, and Stravecchio for two years.
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Aged Asiago is hard, crumbly and sharp
Asiago is a type of Italian cow's milk cheese. It is made in both fresh and aged varieties, with the latter being hard, crumbly and sharp. The texture of Asiago depends on its ageing period. Fresh Asiago has a smooth texture and a mild flavour, while aged Asiago is hard, crumbly and sharp. The longer the cheese is aged, the harder the texture becomes.
Aged Asiago is often grated on top of soups, pasta, salads and sauces. It is a hard, sharp cheese with very fine holes, used as a grating cheese. The flavour is somewhere between that of Parmesan and aged Cheddar. It is a sweet curd, semi-cooked, unpasteurised cheese. The rind is pale yellow, and the flavour is delicately sweet and sour with a buttery aroma.
Aged Asiago is matured for different periods: Mezzano for 4-6 months, Vecchio for more than ten months, and Stravecchio for two years. The traditional version of Asiago cheese, Asiago d'Allevo, is made from unpasteurised cow's milk. It is produced on the Asiago plateau in the Veneto foothills in Italy. The cheese-making tradition in the provinces of Vicenza and Trento dates back more than a thousand years.
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Frequently asked questions
Asiago cheese is made from cow's milk.
No, although Asiago cheese was traditionally made from sheep's milk, it is now made from cow's milk.
Fresh Asiago is soft and creamy white in colour, whereas aged Asiago is hard and crumbly. Fresh Asiago is also mild in flavour, whereas aged Asiago has a sharper, spicier taste.
Asiago d'Allevo is the traditional version of Asiago cheese, whereas Asiago Pressato is the modern industrial version. Asiago d'Allevo is hard and crumbly, whereas Asiago Pressato is smooth.
