Italy is home to many wonderful cheeses that we use in our meals everyday. There are three main categories of cheeses: soft, semi hard and hard.
Soft
- Mozzarella was originally made with the milk from a water buffalo, but now, because of the scarcity of water buffalo, it is made with cow’s milk. The cheese is made by spinning and cutting, hence the name mozzarella. The verb ” mozzare” means to cut. There is low moisture mozzarella which is good on pizza and high moisture or fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is heavenly on a slice of fresh tomato with a sliver of fresh basil.
- Gorgonzola is one of the finest blue cheeses available. It comes from Como, Milan and Brescia. It is a great dessert cheese and is used on salads and in dips.
- Ricotta means “cooked again” referring to the way it is processed. It is similar to cottage cheese but lighter. It is used in lasagne, manicotti and raviolis.
Semi Hard
- Provolone is made from cow’s milk. It comes from southern Italy and is basically mozzarella that’s been aged and smoked. It’s drier than mozzarella and is therefore good on sandwiches.
- Fontina cheese hails from the Aosta valley in northern Italy. It is one of the oldest Italian cheeses and dates from the 12th century. It melts easily and is good for fondues and pizza. It’s also a good dessert cheese.
- Bel Paese is made from cow’s milk and is made in Lombardy. It is a mild, white, creamy cheese with an almost buttery taste. It is good for snacks or desserts. It can be a substitute for mozzarella.
Hard
- Parmigiano Regiano is one of the most familiar cheeses in America. It is sold in America as Parmesan cheese. It is made with cow’s milk and comes from Reggio Emillia and Parma. True Italian Parmesan is very different from the Parmesan we are used to buying in cans in the supermarket. If you can find the imported variety in a specialty store, buy a chunk and try grating it just as you need it. You’ll be surprised at the difference.
- Pecorino Romano is made with sheep’s milk. “Pecora” means sheep in Italian. It is sharper than Parmesan but can be used as a substitute for it. It comes from central and southern Italy. It is used for grating.
- Asiago is made from cow’s milk. It comes from Veneto and is used for grating or as a table cheese. It develops a strong flavor as it ages.
Well, now you are familiar with nine Italian cheeses. What are you waiting for? Go out and buy some!
Stephanie
Italian Nonna
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