Authentic Italian Food.The Quality of Life

Italian Cheese

Often Imitated,Never Duplicated

A Little HistoryIt is undisputed among food conoscienti and rank and file

food lovers alike that Italy produces a lion’s share of theworld’s finest cheeses. Perhaps this excellence is anextension of the Italians’ high regard for their roots. Nonation clings more determinedly and proudly to its localtraditions. No nation puts its talent and artistry so devotedlybehind its regional artisanal industries.

It is easier to appreciate the importance and romance ofItalian cheeses when you know a little bit about their history.The twenty regions that make up modern Italy are centuriesolder than the unified Italian state. The regional cuisines thatemphatically still exist were born in the villages, towns, citiesand city-states from which, in 1860, the nation of Italy wasformed.

Regional Italian Cuisine, Regional Italian Cheeses

In fact, there is no “Italian cooking” and there is no “Italiancheese.” There is Roman cooking and there are Romancheeses, Neapolitan cooking and Neapolitan cheeses; thereare the cheeses of Sardinia, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmontand so on. So whether they are making furniture or pottery,wine or cheese, Tuscans, Calabresi, Sicilians, Friulani orwhat have you, each region takes great pride in its localproducts. It is no wonder that Italian cheeses are so good.

Italian Cheese Making: An Artisanal Process

Today, traditional Italian cheeses are still produced usingraw milk and ancient methods of cheese making. Artisanalcheeses are made by hand, not by machines. Unlike theindustrialized, processed cheeses many Americans grew upwith, raw milk artisanal cheeses are living, breathing foods.The tried and true old cheese making ways, handed downfrom generation to generation, are testimony to the durabilityof the gastronomical and artistic heritage rooted in Italy’sagricultural life.

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A Primer on Italian Cheese

What unify Italian cheeses are their full-flavored rusticity,their individuality and an uncompromised natural flavorbased on the inimitable properties of raw milk. Whatdistinguishes each of them is its unique connection to thelandscape, soil, climate, forage, history and cheese makingtraditions of the locality of its origins.

Cheese: A Historic Solution to Preserving Milk

Initially, animals were domesticated and maintained fortheir milk. As long as the herdsremained within close range of theirowners’ homes, there was noproblem. If the herds were absentfor months at a time, however, thecommunity would be deprived of afood that was essential to its healthand survival. One solution was forthe entire community to follow theanimals and, in some parts of theworld, nomadic peoples still do. Butthose who wanted dwellings morepermanent than tents stayed homeand sent the herds away for thesummer. They could do so becauseof the discovery of the process bywhich milk is transformed intocheese, a solid food that could bestored for many months and evenimprove in flavor in the process.

Until well into the 20th century,the practice of moving grazinglivestock, from lowlands in winterand highlands in summer, was aritual that took place in pastoralcultures with the changing of theseasons. This semiannual event,called transhumance (transumanzain Italian), was more than anecessary part of animal husbandry.

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It was a way of life with its own inherent customs andtraditions that went back thousands of years.

That seasonal migration of flocks and herds was due toprevailing climatic conditions. In most Mediterraneancountries, summers are long and dry, while winters arerelatively short and extremely damp. Pastures in valleys andplains dry up in summer, although they are lush in wintermonths. Rain is concentrated in upper, greener elevationswhere heavy dew settles and quenches thirst for grazinganimals.

Until the present century, it was physically impossible ortoo expensive to bring sufficientfeed to the animals in lower areaswhere their owners lived. As aresult, certain members of eachcommunity had the responsibility ofconducting the animals to summerpasture, remaining with them formonths at a time to protect themfrom predators and then bringingthem back to their owners. Thoseherdsmen were almost certainlyresponsible for the invention or, atleast, the development of one of themost important (and tastiest) foodresources known to man: cheese.

Cow, Sheep and Goat MilkCheeses

During the summer, herdsmenmilked their animals and madecheese that, since it was highlycompact, could be easilytransported back to their homeswhen the time came to leave thehighlands. The types of cheeses theymade depended on various factors,including geography, climate andtaste.

Because the pastures of the Italian

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Alps are more extensive and located at higher altitudes, theyare more luxuriant than the grazing lands in Italy’s far south.This makes cattle raising possible in northern Italy and, as aconsequence, the north produces many cow’s milk cheeses.The landscape of southern Italy, with its sparse vegetationand summer droughts, is better suited to raising sheep andgoats for milk.

The Apennines, whose spine cuts across the center of theItalian peninsula from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic seas,marks a demarcation line, as it were, between the productionof cow’s milk cheeses and sheep’s milk cheeses. Althoughthere are exceptions, the cheeses of the south are typicallymade from sheep’s milk (pecorini, from pecora, meaning“sheep”) or goat’s milk (caprini, from capra, meaning “goat”).The internationally-known Italian cheese, Mozzarella, is awild card since the original and most authentic versionderives from the milk of a more exotic animal, the buffalo(bufala in Italian).

Flavor Influences in Cheese ProductionDifferences among cheeses are not due solely to the

species of animal that provides the milk, as anyone who hastasted a variety of pecorini or sheep’s milk cheeses, knows.While there is always a family resemblance, each has adifferent texture, color, aroma and flavor. Those variationsare due, in part, to the differences in cheese makingtechniques of the producers.

The season of the year when the milk is collected is alsoimportant, since the same cheese has a different taste if it isderived from the milk of animals eating fresh grass and wildflora in the spring and summer than when eating hay andwinter feed in the cold weather months.

Aging is another distinguishing factor. Some cheeses aremade to be eaten fresh, while others are best when they haveaged several months or even a year or more.

Cheese is a perfect food. It is alive and health promoting,rich with nutrients, including vitamin D, proteins, peptides,amino acids and calcium. It can be the mainstay of a mealor a great unifier of otherwise uncommitted tablemates.Consider the casserole (pasticcio) that is bound by its

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unctuous texture and friendly flavor - baked lasagne is aperfect example. Cheese can be complex (like Parmigiano-Reggiano®) or salty (like Pecorino Romano), naivelycharming (Mozzarella), unabashedly sultry (Taleggio), simpleand sweet (Montasio) or undeniably sexy (Gorgonzola).

In some cheeses, the basic flavors are spiked with spices,herbs or aromatics, such as saffron, peppercorns or blacktruffles. Some cheeses are smoked, a technique that wasonce used to lengthen their keeping capacities, but today, thepractice continues because people find the flavor appealing.

Which Came First, the Cheese or theCuisine?

Any attempt to explain why Italians developed theirextraordinarily wide range of cheeses inevitably brings tomind the proverbial question, “which came first, the chickenor the egg?” Did the local character of a cuisine spawn a hostof diverse local cheesesor did local cooks,inspired by the varietyof cheeses available,invent complementingdishes that evolved intoa quintessentiallyregional style ofcooking? Whichever isthe answer, there is nodoubt that the cookingof each Italian regionhas tended to have anaffinity with localcheeses.

For example, tomato-based southern Italiandishes with the zestyflavors of capers, hotpeppers and deeplyfruity olive oil screamfor the rustic tanginessof southern Pecorino

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cheeses. The rich, subtle and intricate cooking of Emilia-Romagna requires the more complex and multi-dimensionalcompanion cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano®. The creamy,steaming polentas of Veneto, Piedmont, Valle D’Aosta andLombardy make opulent beds for the likes of Skiz, Taleggioand Gorgonzola Dolce.

Universal Italian CheesesThat said, over the centuries, certain Italian cheeses have

infiltrated all of Italy’s regional cooking styles and traveled farbeyond its national borders. Parmigiano-Reggiano® andGrana Padano appear in dishes throughout Italy and beyondits borders, although they remain essential components ofthe traditional cooking of the Po Valley. Mozzarella, thegreat melting cheese, pokes its head in pizzas, lasagne dishesand sandwiches all over the world. Fontina, the greatestmelting cheese of all, has been imitated in Sweden andAmerica to such an extent that most people don’t even knowthe true greatness of the original from the mountains of ValleD’Aosta.

Cheeses are used in innumerable ways on the Italian table.They are served before the meal as antipasti, or after, withfruit. Some cheeses are suitable for use in cooking. Cheesesare grated and sprinkled over soups, pastas and risottos andincorporated into stuffed pasta fillings, meat and vegetablestuffings and sauces. They are roasted, toasted, grilled andfried to be consumed as dishes in their own right. They aregratinéed over meats, poultry, fish and vegetables, sealing inflavors and imparting their own special savor to the dish.Sweetened with honey, sugar and grape must, they constitutethe foundations of a host of tantalizing desserts. Alone oraccompanied by a goblet of wine and a bit of bread, theymake a fitting conclusion to a fine meal or an energizingsnack.

Genuine Italian cheeses are now available in many foodstores throughout the United States, but it should beemphasized that the genuine artisanal cheeses of Italy areoften imitated outside its borders, causing confusion as towhat is real, and understandable consternation to Italianproducers. “Parmesan,” “Romano” and any number of

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“Italian style” impostors are the products of nothing short ofidentity theft. No industrial process can replicate cheesesthat are the result of centuries of tradition and know-how.Only with the original Italian artisanal cheeses can the trueflavors of authentic Italian cooking be reproduced.

Any roster of Italian cheeses will necessarily beincomplete, but the following types are available inAmerican markets and should make a regular appearance onevery cheese lover’s table.

Asiago PDOAn ancient product

of the Veneto andTrentino innortheastern Italy,Asiago PDO takes itsname from a plateauin the province ofVicenza in thenortheastern Venetoregion, which hasbeen renowned for itsfertile pastures sincethe year 1000. Fromthe Middle Ages to the

sixteenth century, only sheep were raised on the plateau forcheese. Asiago was originally made of sheep’s milk,however, in keeping with the preferences of the Venetopalate, cow’s milk became the standard in the seventeenthcentury.

Asiago is better known outside of Italy than other Venetocheeses, no doubt due to the Venetian merchants of theSerenissima, who dispersed it throughout the westernMediterranean. Today, the production of the popular Asiagohas spread to the entire province of Vicenza and Trento, andto parts of Padua and Treviso.

Two types of Asiago are available. One is Asiago d’allevo,produced in three different stages of aging: mezzano (agedover four months), vecchio (“old,” aged over ten months) andstravecchio (aged over 15 months). An artisanal cheese still

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produced using traditional methods, Asiago d’allevo is ivoryin color with a straw-colored rind and small regular holesthroughout the paste. Its consistency is compact anduniform, but tender enough to cut easily, and its flavor isagreeable and mildly sweet. Younger Asiago is good formelting and also makes a respectable table cheese. AgedAsiago is sharper in flavor, with a more solid, straw-coloredpaste and tan rind that splinters when cut. It is grated andfolded into polenta; sprinkled over soups, pasta or gnocchi;or strewn as a topping over baked vegetables and othercasserole-style dishes. It can also be shaved over beefcarpaccio or cut into matchsticks for adding to salads, amongother uses.

The second type of Asiago is called pressato. Made fromwhole cow’s milk and aged for 20 to 40 days, this version hasan elastic texture, delicate fragrance and mild flavor - anideal addition to a cheese platter.

Caciocavallo Silano PDOThe Italian name of this cheese may be related to the

practice of hanging the moulds astride (a cavallo, “on horse-back”) horizontal rods. Caciocavallo Silano PDO is anexceptional semi-hard cow’s milk cheese of southern Italy.The rind contains small grooves left by the restraining cords.

Caciocavallo Silano PDO is a stringy semi-hard cheesemade from cow’s milkand ripened for at leastfifteen days.Caciocavallo SilanoPDO can be oval or elseshaped like a truncatedcone, sometimes with asmall knob at the top,depending on localcustom. The rind is thinand smooth, the cheesewhite or straw yellow,compact and smooth.Mellow in flavor whenyoung, Caciocavallo

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Silano PDO makes a good table cheese. When it becomespiquant with age, it can be grated and cooked in numerousdishes, including stuffed eggplant and stuffed panzerotti(calzone). The cheese is produced over a wide area thatencompasses several town districts in the regions of Calabria,Campania, Apulia, Molise and Basilicata and in theprovinces of Foggia, Bari, Brindisi and Taranto.

Gorgonzola PDOOne of the finest - some would argue, the best - of the

world’s blue cheeses, Gorgonzola, is made from cow’s milkin the area northwest of Italy. Gorgonzola PDO hasgenerated many legends describing its origin. One of themost popular is that it was discovered in the ninth centurywhen Lombardian shepherds left a cheese to ripen in a dampcave and found a pleasant-tasting mold growing on it. Thecheese makers say that cultures from this very same mold isadded to rich fresh cheese today to enable it to ferment.

Made from pasteurized cow’s milk with the addition ofrennet and blue mold spores, creamy Gorgonzola isconsidered one of the world’s most unique cheeses. It is

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characterized by the blue green veins that run through it andby its pungent, barnyard-like aroma. The delicate, greenish-blue vein is formed by pricking the cheese with long needlesto admit air and mold spores. The ripening process requiresabout 50 days. The cheese should be eaten as fresh aspossible or it becomes too assertive. Young Gorgonzola isrelatively mild, creamy and sweet. As it ages, it becomespicante - spicy and very strong.

Gorgonzola PDO has long been popular as an ingredientin various signature regional dishes, some rustic, as in its useas a topping for grilled polenta, and some sophisticated, aswhen it is used on pizza. It has many uses on the antipastotable - in canapés, mixed with butter for spreading oncrostini, used as a topping for focaccia and baked into puffpastry. However, it is probably best when consumed alone atthe end of a meal and accompanied by a red or, moreintriguingly, a white, late-harvest dessert wine.

Grana Padano PDOMade in five regions of northern Italy’s Po Valley -

Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, part of Trentino (Trento) andpart of Emilia-Romagna (Piacenza) - Grana Padano has beenproduced for 1000 years using the same traditional method.This PDO cheese (Protected Designation of Origin) has alight, nutty flavor, which becomes more intense with aging.Grana Padano is aged from 9 to 24 months and can be eatenon its own as a table cheese, shaved or grated on differentdishes or consumed alone at the end of a meal with honeyor preserves.

Grana Padano, the most sold PDO cheese in the world, isnow available in three different stages of maturity:

(1) Grana Padano aged between 9 to 16 months: It has aslight grainy consistency and a pale, creamy color anddelicate taste. It is delicious with young fruity white wines.

(2) Grana Padano “over 16 months”: It has a moresignificant grainy structure and breaks into flakes when cut;less sweet than the previous one and more determined intaste but never overpowering. The cheese calls for a slightlytannic wine, like a red with a fairly intense, lingering flavor,yet still young and fresh.

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(3) Grana Padano “Riserva” - over 20 months: Trulysuperlative, it has evidently more granular consistency witha clear radial flake structure, uniform pale yellow, hay-likecolor and a fragrant yet distinctive and fuller taste. Ideal withwines with plenty of tannin and fairly high alcohol content.Riserva vintage works well when paired with sweet dessertwines or served with fruit, such as figs or grapes, andchutneys.

The production of grana cheese in the Po Valley isgenerally thought to have begun in 1135 in the abbey ofChiaravalle. We know that it was produced in manymonasteries using special cauldrons. This is how the firstcheese factories were established and the first dairyproducers and experts in the production of cheesedeveloped the trade. The monks called it “caseus vetus,”

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which means old cheese. But the cheese consumers of theperiod were unfamiliar with Latin and instead called it byanother name inspired by its unusual granular consistency.This is how it acquired the name “formaggio di grana” (granacheese) or simply grana, and was distinguished according tothe province of production. The most commonly citedgranas at that time were from the area of Lodi, considered bymany to be the oldest, but also from the areas of Milan,Parma, Piacenza and Mantua.

This product soon came to be considered precious and itspopularity spread. In 1504, Isabella d’Este gave to her fatherand her brother Ferdinando, lords of Ferrara, “half a cheeseeach because the goodness of it is more important than thequantity.”

Each wheel (36 kg) is controlled by an expert of theConsorzio for the Protection of Grana Padano and receivesthe Consorzio’s diamond-shaped marking, which indicatesthat the cheese passed inspection and is genuine GranaPadano PDO. In addition, each wheel bares anotherimportant sign of distinction and guarantee: the four-leafbranding in which the dairy house, province, date and yearof production are etched.

Nutritionally speaking, Grana Padano defies the popularnotion that cheese contains only saturated fats. In fact, notall fats are harmful. Grana Padano contains more than 40%unsaturated fats, the type considered best for our bodies. Ittakes over fifteen liters of milk to make one kilogram ofGrana Padano, which results in a cheese that is veryconcentrated in protein, calcium and nutrients. Onehundred grams of Grana Padano containing 384 calories isequivalent to the protein found in 160 grams of meat and thenutritional ingredients of one and a half liters of milk.

Montasio PDOThe production of this distinctive cheese, named after the

mountain of its origins, began in the mid-1300s in monasticcommunities of the Veneto Alps. Nowadays, the area ofproduction lies in the whole territory of Friuli Venezia-Giuliaand the northern Veneto provinces, from Belluno to Treviso,and in parts of Padua and Venice provinces. Montasio PDO

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is a full-fat, semisoft,cooked cow’s milkcheese that is formedinto wheels of aboutfifteen pounds each. Thesmooth rind is a uniformstraw color; the interior iscreamy-hued withclosely riddled, smallholes. Three varieties aremade: fresco (“fresh,”aged two to threemonths), semistagionato

(“partially aged,” aged four to eight months) and vecchio(aged over a year). The name and production dairy arebranded into the rind of the cheese.

Montasio has a gentle, pleasant flavor that lasts throughtwo years of aging. This cow’s milk cheese is consumedwhen it is young, at the end of a meal. As it ages anddevelops greater piquancy, it is used in cooking. It has a firmtexture and a mild, agreeable flavor.

In its young, soft form, Montastio is offered as an appetizer,grilled, folded into risotto, cut into matchsticks and added tosalads, or grated and added to sauces for potato gnocchi. Itsbest use is as a straight eating cheese with good bread andgood Veneto wine. In this way, its charms and the range ofits flavors can be experienced directly.

Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDOMozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO is a fresh cheese

made exclusively with water-buffalo milk from farms locatedin the traditional production zone in central-southern Italy:Campania Region (provinces of Caserta, Salerno and parts ofNaples and Benevento), Lazio Region (parts of the Latina,Frosinone and Rome provinces), Puglia Region (parts of theFoggia province) and the Molise Region (Venafro).

The origins of mozzarella are directly related to theintroduction in Italy of the water-buffalo (a breed from India,not the American bison): the most likely hypothesis is that theNorman kings, around XI century, set up farms in Southern

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Italy with water-buffalos from Sicily, where they had beenintroduced by the Arabs.

The term mozzarella derives from the Italian word“mozzare” which means to “cut off”, an operation in whichthe spun paste is hand-cut using the forefinger and thethumb. Because of its traditional characteristics, Mozzarelladi Bufala Campana obtained the prestigious PDO trademarkthrough EC Regulation, which requires that strict productionstandards be upheld.

Mozzarella di Bufala Campana has become an integralpart of the Mediterranean diet: easy to digest and low inlactose and cholesterol. It is an excellent source of proteinwith a high biological value, along with moderate levels offat.

By law, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana can be sold only ifit is pre-packaged at the source, and each package must havethe trademark of origin: the complete name of denominationand not only mozzarella or mozzarella di bufala.

To enjoy Mozzarella di Bufala Campana at best, a fewrules must be followed: keep it always in its liquid; store in acool place; make sure it is at room temperature before eating.

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Parmigiano-Reggiano® PDOThis firm, grainy cow’s milk cheese has been made in the

area around the Po Valley, in outlying areas of the cities ofParma and Reggio Emilia, since the early Middle Ages. It isthe most well-known and highly prized of all Italian cheeses.

The soil, climate, air, vegetation and cattle-raisingtraditions of five provinces (Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena,Mantova right bank of the river Po, Bologna left bank of theriver Reno) are essential to the success of this cheese, as isthe know-how of those producing it. The art of Parmigiano-Reggiano® PDO making has always been passed on fromgeneration to generation of cheese makers and farmerswhose entire lives were - and still are - devoted to its craft:from cows’ breeding, selection and feeding in order to obtainthe best quality milk, to the long and complex makingprocess and maturing.

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It takes about 150 gallons of milk to make an eighty-poundwheel, which is aged from a minimum of 12 months to 36months and more, during which time the flavor intensifies.In general, different degrees of maturing can be used fordifferent purposes when cooking with Parmigiano-Reggiano®: while younger cheese is more suitable to beeaten on its own as an appetizer, for instance, or in dessertpreparations, older cheese is a perfect choice both for eatingpaired with a nice glass of wine, shaving over salads, gratingover pastas, or as an ingredient in stuffings. The marks oforigin that you can find on every single wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano® cheese can provide very useful information, suchas: the dairy house making code, month and year ofproduction of the cheese, the typical pin-dot logo bearing thewriting “Parmigiano-Reggiano” that you can easily recognizeon every wedge of cheese, and a casein plate that guaranteesa complete traceability system.

The paste of Parmigiano-Reggiano® should be a rich,warm straw color. It has an intense flavor and fragrance anda firm, moist, flaky, granular texture. Parmigiano-Reggiano®

has many pretenders, but there is no substitute for thegenuine handmade cheese from Emilia-Romagna.Domestically made “Parmesan” cheeses and bottled orcanned powders called “Parmesan” or “Italian-style gratingcheese” are not the genuine article.

Eaten as a table cheese, freshly cut Parmigiano-Reggiano®

can be eaten as a separate course, accompanied, perhaps, bypears or other fresh fruit, but certainly with a glass of goodred wine, preferably from the Emilia-Romagna region.Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano® is used in a vast number ofdishes, enhancing their flavors and textures. It should alwaysbe added at the last moment to preserve the rich, complexflavors of the cheese.

To cut Parmigiano-Reggiano®, use an almond-shapedknife designed specifically for this purpose. Insert it into thecheese and twist it to flake, rather than slice pieces off.Cutting it in this way keeps the “grain” of the cheese intact,which is essential to experiencing the true texture of thecheese.

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If grating Parmigiano-Reggiano®, grate just before use. Or,grate it, transfer it to a freezer container or bag, and freeze itimmediately.

Pecorino Romano PDOPecorino Romano PDO is one of the oldest cheeses in

existence. The method for making Pecorino Romano fromfresh sheep’s milk, salt and lamb rennet, mentioned by theRoman agronomist, Lucius Moderatus Columella, in his first-century A.D. treatise, De re rustica, is essentially the samemethod that is used today.

Pecorino Romanocertainly originated inthe region of Lazio andformed part of the dailyrations for the legionariesof ancient Rome. Today,it is Lazio’s mostimportant export.Approximately 30,000tons (300,000 quintals)of the cheese areproduced annually,mostly in Sardinia.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the pressures ofincreasing consumer demand, and the existence of anestablished tradition in Sardinia of making cheese fromsheep’s milk, prompted some of the major manufacturers inLazio to relocate their activities to the island. They broughtwith them their master cheese makers and salters to teach theislanders the secrets of their trade.

Pecorino Romano PDO is aged for eight months, whichaccounts for its distinctively sharp and salty flavor. It istypically a grating cheese and irreplaceable in countlessrecipes.

Pecorino Toscano PDOSheep-rearing in Tuscany pre-dates the Roman era and

goes back to Etruscan times. Book XI of Pliny the Elder’s

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Natural History contains a reference to an already flourishingPecorino industry in Tuscany. Pliny describes the Pecorino asbeing made in the area of Luni, present-day Lunigiana, andimported to Rome by merchants. In the fifteenth century,Pecorino Toscano, then known as Cacio Marzolino or “March

cheese” because itsproduction traditionallybegan in March andcontinued throughoutSpring, was appreciatedas much by potentatesas by the peasants whomade it. Such figures asPope Pius Piccolominiand Lorenzo theMagnificent are knownto have been greatconsumers of thecheese.

Pecorino Toscano is a table or grating cheese. It is soft orsemi-hard and made exclusively from sheep’s milk. Thecheese is cylindrical with a rind ranging in color from yellowto deep-yellow, depending on its age - the deeper the color,the older the cheese. The paste is close-textured and resistantto the knife. The color of the paste ranges from white with ahint of yellow if soft, to pale yellow if semi-hard. The taste isfragrant, savory and distinctive. The Pecorino Toscanoproduction zone includes the whole region of Tuscany aswell as several town districts in the provinces of Perugia andViterbo.

Provolone Valpadana PDOProvolone Valpadana PDO originated in southern Italy,

but it is impossible to be certain about the precise region.The term “Provolone” does not appear until the end of thelast century, around the same time as the production of thecheese moved northwards and it assumed its currently largersize.

This firm cheese goes to market in various shapes,including round and tubular, and in at least three sizes, each

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with its own name. There is provolette (small), provole(medium) and provolone (large). When young, the cheese ismore delicate but still assertive. As it ages, it becomesincreasingly piquant. Provolone Valpadana is primarilyconsumed as a table cheese.

Provolone Valpadana PDO is a semi-hard whole cow’smilk cheese with a smooth rind. It comes in a variety of formsand may be shaped like a salami, a melon, a cone or a pear.It may also have a spherical knob on the top. The taste variesfrom sweet to sharp depending on the type of rennet used incurdling. Veal rennet will yield a sweet cheese; lamb or kidrennet will yield one with a sharper taste. The minimumripening period is one month; the maximum may exceedone year. Provolone Valpadana is made throughout theprovinces of Cremona, Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Rovigo,Padua and Piacenza, and in some parts of the provinces ofBergamo, Mantua, Lodi and Trento.

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Recipes:Cicoria, cacio e uovaChicory, Pecorino and Egg Soup

For 6 people

“Cacio” refers to Pecorino, sheep’s milk cheese.

1 quart tasty homemade chicken broth1 head green chicory, about 1 pound1 teaspoon salt, plus additional salt if necessary1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil2 onions, cut into julienne3 eggs, lightly beaten4 tablespoons freshly-grated imported ItalianPecorino Romano PDO, plus more for the table

In an ample soup kettle, keep the broth warm.Core the chicory and wash it well to remove any traces of

sand. Place in a large pot or bowl and cover with cold water.Let stand for one hour to enable it to release some of itsbitterness. Drain and chop.

Bring enough water to a rolling boil to cover the chicory.Add the greens and 1 teaspoon salt and cover. Cook overhigh heat until tender but not mushy, about 4 minutes. Drainthe chicory and squeeze all the water out. Set aside.

In an ample saucepan, warm the olive oil. Add the onionsand sauté over medium-low heat until they are wilted but notbrowned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicory and toss.

In the meantime, heat the broth to a gentle simmer. Mixthe beaten eggs with the Pecorino Romano and stir them intothe hot broth. When the egg is solidified into strands, stir inthe chicory. Taste for salt.

Serve at once. Pass the Pecorino Romano.

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Funghi al forno alla parmigianaBaked Whole Mushrooms with Parmigiano-Reggiano® Cheese

For 4 people

1 pound fresh mushrooms such as porcini,chanterelles, or oyster mushrooms, or a mixture1 tablespoon water

For the topping:3 tablespoons freshly grated imported ItalianParmigiano-Reggiano® PDO 1 tablespoon dried bread crumbszest of one lemon1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram or a pinch ofdried marjoram1 small clove garlic, mincedfine sea saltfreshly-milled black pepper to tasteextra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.Remove any dirt from the mushrooms with a soft brush or

dry cotton towel. Trim off the hard tips of the stems. If themushrooms are extremely large, halve or quarter themlengthwise, depending upon their size.

Select a baking pan large enough to hold the mushroomsin a single layer and sprinkle the bottom with the water. Putthe mushrooms in, stems up. In a small bowl, combine allthe ingredients for the topping, including salt and pepper,and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over themushrooms. Drizzle generously with the olive oil. Bakeuncovered in the preheated oven until the mushrooms aregolden, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

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Melanzane ripiene con Caciocavallo Silano Eggplants Stuffed with Caciocavallo

For 4 people

2 small (3/4 pound each) or 3 small eggplants1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 cloves garlic, chopped1 pound tomatoes, peeled and diced3 tablespoons capers3 anchovies, choppedhalf an onion, chopped1 tablespoon fresh chopped flat-leaf parsleyfresh basil leaves1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano or 1/2 teaspoondried oregano2 ounces Caciocavallo Silano PDO cheese, dicedsea salt to tastefreshly milled black pepper to taste

Wash the eggplants and wipe them dry. Cut them in halflengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving about 1/2 -inch ofthe flesh in the shell. Chop the pulp coarsely. If there areexcess seeds, discard them. Suspend a colander overanother bowl or a sink. Sprinkle the chopped pulp liberallywith salt and put it in the colander. Place a plate on top ofthe pulp and, over it, place a weight to allow the bitter liquidto drain out easily, about 40 minutes. When the eggplantpulp has drained, rinse it well with cold running water. Useyour hands to squeeze it dry. Dry with paper towels or cleankitchen towels.

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange the eggplanthalves side by side in an oiled baking pan.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute’ the garlic overmedium-low heat until it is softened but not colored, about1 minute. Add the tomatoes, the pulp of the eggplant,capers, anchovies and onion. Raise the heat to medium andsaute’ until the mixture is softened and fragrant, about 10minutes. Stir in the Caciocavallo Silano, parsley and basil.

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Add salt and pepper. Blend all the ingredients well and fillthe eggplants with the mixture. Sprinkle with the oregano.Bake on the middle rack of the oven until cooked throughand nicely colored on top, about 1 hour.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow it to settlefor 10 minutes. Serve.

Penne al GorgonzolaPenne with Gorgonzola Sauce

For 4 to 6 people

Here is a recipe for a classic pasta sauce made withGorgonzola cheese from Lombardy. For this recipe, it isimportant that the Gorgonzola is the young, “sweet” (dolce)or mild variety.

6 ounces sweet (young) imported Italian GorgonzolaPDO cheese4 tablespoons unsalted butter1 cup heavy cream3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano® PDOfreshly-milled white pepper1 pound penne or penne rigate2 tablespoons kosher salt

Fill a soup kettle with 5 quarts water. Cover and bring itto a boil over high heat.

In the meantime, in an ample skillet large enough toaccommodate the penne later, melt the butter and add theGorgonzola, pressing with a wooden spoon to break it up.When the cheese has dissolved, add the cream. Warm overmedium-low heat until the sauce comes to a slow simmerand it is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Addthe pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano® cheese.

When the water comes to a rolling boil, drop in the penneand 2 tablespoons salt. Continue to cook over high heat,stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Drain andadd the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss. Serve atonce.

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Finocchi gratinati Baked Fennel Gratinée

For 4 people

The anisey flavor of fresh fennel is very appealingcombined with cheeses in this gratinéed dish, particularly inthe company of pork, fowl and game.

6 bulbs fennelsalt2 teaspoons unsalted butter3 tablespoons freshly-grated Grana Padano PDO3 ounces Montasio PDO cheese, shredded

Trim the tough bottom off the fennel bulb as you wouldcelery. Cut off the tough stalks and feathery leaves; reservethem for some other use and trim any blemishes or brownspots. Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into quarters.

Place the fennel in a saucepan with just enough water tocover and add salt (1 teaspoon to a quart). Bring the water toa boil. Cook over medium heat until almost tender, 6-7minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.Arrange the fennel wedges in a baking dish. Scatter the

butter and cheeses on top. Slide the dish onto the middlerack of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and agolden crust is formed, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

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Fiori di zucca ripieni con Asiago Fresco edAsiago StagionatoZucchine Blossoms Filled with AsiagoCheese

For 2 people

2 ounces Asiago Stagionato PDO2 onces Asiago Fresco PDO6-8 zucchine blossoms (of leave of other vegetables,such as swiss chard or spinach)a little white flourstarch flourbeer for the tempuraextra-virgin olive oilsalt to taste

Wash the zucchine blossoms and dry them well. Cut theAsiago Fresco and Asiago Stagionato into small pieces.Prepare the tempura: mix a little white flour and a littlestarch flour into the beer until a clear mixture is obtainedwith the consistency of a beaten egg. Fill the blossoms withAsiago Fresco and Asiago Stagionato, dip them one by onein the tempura and then fry them in extra-virgin olive oil untilthey are crisp.

Alternately make rolls with the leaves of other vegetables,such as spinach or chard, after they have been parboiled.

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