
Provolone is a semi-hard Italian cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk. It is a stretched-curd cheese, first made in southern Italy, but now also made in other parts of Italy and in the United States. It is typically pear-shaped and can range from mild and sweet to sharp and pungent, depending on how long it has been aged.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Southern Italy |
| Current production | Italy, United States (particularly Wisconsin and Michigan) |
| Type of cheese | Italian stretched-curd (pasta filata) |
| Milk type | Cow's milk |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

Provolone is an Italian stretched-curd cheese
Provolone is typically pear-shaped and can range from mild and sweet to sharp and pungent depending on the final moisture and amount of ageing time. It is aged for at least several months and sometimes up to a year. Aged provolone is classified as either provolone dolce or provolone piccante. Provolone dolce is made from calf's rennet and is aged for two to three months, resulting in a sweet, buttery flavour. Provolone piccante is made from goat or lamb's rennet and is aged for four months to a year, developing a sharp, tangy flavour from the enzymes used during production.
Provolone is made by allowing warm cow's milk to curdle, breaking the curds into small pieces and separating them from the whey. The curds are then submerged in a bath of hot water until they float to the surface.
In Italy, provolone is commonly served on sandwiches or as a table cheese, enjoyed at room temperature with crusty bread, olives, thin slices of cured meats, and a glass of full-bodied red wine.
Baby Bell Cheese: What's the Mystery Cheese?
You may want to see also

It was first made in southern Italy
Provolone is an Italian stretched-curd (pasta filata) cheese, first made in southern Italy. It is light in colour, mellow, smooth, and cuts without crumbling. It has a complex flavour profile and a pleasant aroma. It is typically pear-shaped and can range from mild and sweet to sharp and pungent depending on the final moisture and amount of ageing time.
At the end of the nineteenth century, cheesemakers in the Lombardy and Veneto regions of the Po River Valley in Southern Italy began making a larger variant of a popular cheese called provola. This cheese is now known as provolone.
Provolone is made by first allowing warm cow's milk to curdle, a process that breaks the curds into small pieces and separates them from the whey. Cheesemakers then submerge the curds in a bath of hot water until they float to the top. Provolone is aged for at least several months (sometimes up to a year).
Aged provolone is classified in one of two ways: provolone dolce or provolone piccante. Provolone dolce is made from calf's rennet; it’s aged for two to three months and has a sweet, buttery flavour. Provolone piccante is typically made from goat or lamb's rennet: it’s aged for four months to a year and gets its sharp, tangy flavour from the enzymes used during production.
The Making of La Bonne Vie Cheese: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
You may want to see also

It is now also made in the United States, especially Wisconsin and Michigan
Provolone cheese is an Italian stretched-curd cheese, first made in southern Italy. It is now also made in the United States, especially Wisconsin and Michigan. In the US, provolone is typically made in the style of provolone dolce, a type of aged provolone. Provolone dolce is made from calf's rennet and is aged for two to three months, resulting in a sweet, buttery flavour. It is made by allowing warm cow's milk to curdle, breaking the curds into small pieces and separating them from the whey. The curds are then submerged in a bath of hot water until they float to the top.
The Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe Ingredients
You may want to see also
Explore related products

It is made from pasteurised cow's milk
Provolone is an Italian stretched-curd cheese, first made in southern Italy but now also made in other parts of Italy and in the United States, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan. It is made from pasteurised cow's milk. The milk is first allowed to curdle, which breaks the curds into small pieces and separates them from the whey. The curds are then submerged in a bath of hot water until they float to the surface.
Provolone is made from cow's milk, which requires fresh calf's rennet for production. The cheese is then aged for at least several months, sometimes up to a year. This ageing process gives provolone its characteristic flavour and texture. During ageing, the enzymes used in production break down the curds, resulting in a softer, more pliable cheese with a sharp, tangy flavour.
Provolone is typically classified as either provolone dolce or provolone piccante. Provolone dolce is made from calf's rennet and aged for two to three months, resulting in a sweet, buttery flavour. Provolone piccante, on the other hand, is made from goat or lamb's rennet and aged for four months to a year, developing a sharp, tangy flavour from the enzymes used during production.
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese with a complex flavour profile and a pleasant aroma. It pairs well with salami and prosciutto and is commonly served on sandwiches or as a table cheese in Italy. Its texture is smooth and it cuts without crumbling. Provolone's colour is light, and its flavour can range from mild and sweet to sharp and pungent, depending on the final moisture and ageing time.
Cheese's Global Footprint: Where Is It Made?
You may want to see also

It is classified as provolone dolce or provolone piccante
Provolone is an Italian stretched-curd cheese, first made in southern Italy but now also made in other parts of Italy and in the United States, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan. It is light in colour, mellow, smooth, and cuts without crumbling. It is typically pear-shaped and can range from mild and sweet to sharp and pungent depending on the final moisture and amount of ageing time.
Aged provolone is classified in one of two ways: provolone dolce or provolone piccante. Provolone dolce is made from calf's rennet and is aged for two to three months. It has a sweet, buttery flavour. Provolone piccante is typically made from goat or lamb's rennet and is aged for four months to a year. It gets its sharp, tangy flavour from the enzymes used during production.
Provolone is made by first allowing warm cow's milk to curdle, a process that breaks the curds into small pieces and separates them from the whey. Cheesemakers then submerge the curds in a bath of hot water until they float to the top. Provolone is a semi-hard cheese and requires fresh calf's rennet for production. It is aged for at least several months, sometimes up to a year.
In the United States, provolone is typically made in the style of provolone dolce, a type of aged provolone.
Black Jack Cheese: A Tasty Wisconsin Original
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Provolone is an Italian cheese, first made in southern Italy. It is now also made in other parts of Italy and in the United States, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Provolone is a semi-hard, stretched-curd cheese. It is made from pasteurised cow's milk.
Provolone is made by allowing warm cow's milk to curdle, breaking the curds into small pieces and separating them from the whey. The curds are then submerged in a bath of hot water until they float to the top.
Provolone is aged for at least several months, sometimes up to a year.
In Italy, provolone is commonly served on sandwiches or as a table cheese, enjoyed with crusty bread, olives, cured meats, and a glass of full-bodied red wine.

























