There Is More To Italian Cheeses Than You Think

If you begin to look for Italian cheeses, you will find more than four hundred varieties. Most of the time, we only think of four cheeses as we think of Italian foods.

The four cheeses with which we are most familiar include those used in pizza, those sprinkled onto spaghetti, those used in sandwiches and the ones used in lasagna. The four cheeses we most associate with Italy include mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and ricotta.

Since we have such a limited view of the Italian cheeses, what we purchase at the market is nothing near the original in flavor or texture.

Most of the mozzarella sold in the grocery store is made from cow’s milk. Traditional mozzarella in Italy is made of the milk of the water buffalo. Additionally, this cheese is a fresh cheese in Italy and should be consumed quickly after preparation. It is not a cheese that is stored for months at a time before use. Fresh mozzarella and fresh bread sprinkled with a little salt makes a wonderful taste treat. You can also find fresh mozzarella and tomatoes sliced together and coated in olive oil and basil served as a salad.

Parmesan is a hard cheese that is formed into large wheels. Freshly grated Parmesan is a tasty addition to pasta and melts to combine with cream and butter very well. It in no way resembles the dry powder that is sold in cans at the supermarket.

Provolone is used in Italy as a table cheese. Provolone is made using whole cows milk. Once formed, the cheese is aged for at least four months. The shape of provolone is traditionally that of a pear.

Ricotta is another fresh Italian cheese. This cheese dated back to the Roman times. Italian ricotta is made with whole milk and is much sweeter than the sour and watery part skim ricotta sold in tubs. Since it is easy to make ricotta at home, you can have fresh ricotta at any time. Simply bring whole milk and cream to a boil. Use a little lemon juice to cause to curdle and strain through cheese cloth. Refrigerate in a covered container. The ricotta needs to be used within 48 hours.

Italians buy their dairy products at a dairy store. Some of these stores make their own cheeses. This means that the fresh cheesed you purchase today may have been made today in a very old tradition.

There are many other Italian cheeses available. Some are local to one region. Italian blue cheese, veined like Roquefort, is said to be an excellent choice to melt with butter and garlic to serve over pasta.

The best way to experience many of the local cheeses of Italy is by spending time in the country. Experiment and find the cheeses that you like. When back home, you may not be able to find the exact cheese, but for many of the hard cheeses you will be able to order imports.