Italians love their cheese, but understanding each one’s flavour profile and unique characteristics will ensure you allow this silky ingredient to shine – just like it should.
MATURE CHEDDAR
Cheddar is one of those well known, all-rounder, everyday cheeses. This version, however, is slightly drier as it has been aged, giving it a crumblier texture and a medium-sharp flavour with a hint of nuttiness. Add it to your next cheeseboard when entertaining or grate into sauces or baked goods to add depth of flavour.
PARMIGIANO REGGIANO
Commonly referred to as Parmesan, this hard cheese has to age for a minimum of 12 months to live up to its name. The name ‘Parmigiano Reggiano’ can by law only be used on a cheese that was produced in a specific region in Northern Italy- in short, you’re guaranteed it’s the real deal! It has a strong, sharp, complex taste with a prominent note of nuttiness and a saltiness that is not overbearing.
GRANA PADANO
Locally, we often find the slightly more affordable Grana Panada in everyday stores. In comparison to Parmigiano, this hard cheese uses only skim milk, resulting in a waxier finish and milder taste. While it is also a DOP (legally protected cheese – aka, made in Italy), it only needs to age for as little as 10 months before using. Best used as a grating cheese – add lashings over pasta or tomato salads.
RICOTTA
This beautiful cheese is a byproduct from making other cheeses. Ricotta is made from sheep, cow or goats milk whey (liquid left behind after milk curds have formed into cheese during production). The whey is then heated with whole milk and an acid is stirred through (like lemon juice) until large curds form. This curd mixture is then placed into a cheese cloth to strain. What you are left with is the fluffy, almost pillow-like texture known as ricotta. Perfect for enriching sauces, or folding into doughs, quiches or simply crumbled over roasted veggies or bowls of pasta.
MOZZARELLA
Italians love using the fresh buffalo mozzarella kind, which has a rich taste and silky smooth texture. This semi-soft, non-aged cheese originates from the south of Italy. In its production method, the curds are mixed together with heated whey and then stretched continuously, giving it its iconic texture.
Words by: Chad January
Photographs: Zhann Solomons
