by Deborah Mele
Although there are over 450 different recorded cheeses made in Italy, most people are familiar with just a few, whether it be soft, moist mozzarella, sharp, oily provolone or dry, flaky parmesan.
Italian cheeses are very regional, and to appreciate them fully one must understand the geography and the culture of the country. Each region in Italy produces various specific varieties from the northern Alps to the boot and islands, and when it comes to cheeses, regional exclusivity is the norm. If you are visiting a city in Tuscany or one in Sicily, you should expect only those cheeses produced from that region to be sold with only a few exceptions.
Cheese production in Italy began as a need to preserve milk and to provide a source of protein for workers, travelers and families throughout the winter months. I will discuss the most famous varieties of Italian cheeses that can be readily found here in the United States, as well as tips for storing cheese to best retain it's freshness.
How to Keep and Serve Cheese
It is best to keep cheese in a dark, humid, ventilated room, at a constant temperature of about 45-50 F. If you are refrigerating your cheese, it is best to store in the vegetable section in perforated paper or cheesecloth to allow air to go through. Always try to serve cheese at room temperature to allow the full flavor to develop.
Here are a few popular Italian cheeses found in the US:
Parmesan - Production of true parmigiano-reggiano is carefully regulated and can only be made in a certain zone around the city of Parma between the months of April and November. To ensure you are buying "real" parmesan, look for the words parmigiano-reggiano stamped all over the rind. Parmesan is a grainy, firm cheese with full flavor, and well-aged cheese will be light straw colored. Parmesan is great just simply paired with fruit or good crusty bread, and makes a tasty topping for most pasta dishes. When cooking with parmesan, often the simpler recipes such as Risotto Parmesan allow the flavor of the cheese to shine through.
Gorgonzola - This cheese originates from the Po valley in Lombardy. This is another protected cheese with strict regulations, and is now produced year round. Gorgonzola is a soft, creamy cheese with blue or green veins or flecks running through it. It has a strong pungent flavor, so a little goes a long way. I like to use this cheese in a cream sauce to top gnocchi in Gnocchi Gorgonzola, or in combination with other Italian cheeses in a sauce for Pasta With Four Cheeses.
Mozzarella - This is one of the most commonly sold Italian cheeses in America today, although most of the mozzarella we find in our grocery stores differs greatly in taste and texture from the fresh handmade versions made in Italy. The American mozzarella is generally denser, drier and lacks the nutty milky-sweet flavor of the Italian cheese. Mozzarella can be eaten as a table cheese, but most Americans prefer to use it melted on pizza, lasagna and other baked dishes. The region around Naples, Italy is said to produce the best mozzarella in the world. It is made from the milk of water buffalo and can now be found in specialty stores here in the States as mozzarella di bufala. It is very perishable though, so use it soon after purchasing. If you find good fresh mozzarella, one of the best ways to serve it is simply with a drizzle of good olive oil, as in my recipe for the famous recipe Insalata Caprese. Another great recipe that uses mozzarella in a baked dish is Home Style Lasagna.
Asiago - Here is another cow's milk cheese from northern Veneto, with a somewhat sharp flavor, and can be found in three forms: soft, medium and hard. It is often eaten as a table cheese with a few slices of good salami, crusty bread and a fruity red wine such as Dolcetto d'Alba. It is great on certain pastas and is usually less expensive than parmesan.
Provolone - This popular cheese can be found throughout southern Italy. It is an oily, simple flavored cheese that acquires it's flavor after it has been aged for several months. Often served in sandwiches, why not try my recipe for Asparagus Rollups for a nice change?
Pecorino - The most famous type of pecorino is Romano, although pecorino Sardo (made in Sardinia) is also readily available. It is another oily cheese made from sheep's milk with a sharp, salty flavor, that is to the southern Italians what parmesan is to those in Northern Italy. The flavor of pecorino intensifies that of simpler foods, such as you will find in my Fave con Pecorino recipe.
Ricotta - Made from the by-product of cheese making, this "cheese" is actually a dairy product rather than a cheese. In Italy, ricotta is primarily made from the whey of sheep's milk, and sometimes goat or cows milk. In the US, the ricotta we find in our stores in made from cows milk and is more moist and sweeter in flavor than the Italian variety. Ricotta Gnocchi are much easier to make than potato gnocchi, and go well with almost any sauce. Ricotta salata, a pressed, dried version made in Sicily is the perfect topping for Pasta alla Norma.
These are a just a few of more popular types of Italian cheeses, from the hundreds of varieties available. The next time you are in a good cheese specialty store, ask the merchant to let you try a taste a few of the imported Italian cheeses. I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I do!
Buon Appetito!
Originally published in www.italianfoodforever.com
