If you are visiting Italy and like me, you want to discover new local products, then consider spending a little time on cheeses. The ones listed in this article are some that I think you shouldn’t miss out. All of them are very tasty and recommended, and the order in the list does not imply a particular preference.
Burrata, burrata affumicata and stracciatella
Burrata is originally from Puglia and is a delicious combination of two cheeses: a thin outer layer of pasta filata similar to mozzarella and a surprising filling of stracciatella.
The latter is a fresh cheese, ideal for spreading and can also be purchased separately. Its name comes from “stracciato” (torn in pieces), since it consists of a mixture of frayed mozzarella threads and fresh cream. Being a fresh cheese, stracciatella requires great care in its conservation, and that is probably why the idea of protecting it with an outer layer appeared. This is how the Andria burrata was born, a delicate and very special cheese. A good burrata should spread generously when cut, it should never have any acid notes, and its flavor will be extremely creamy, which is why it’s becoming a very fashionable gourmet product abroad.
For an even more sophisticated version, we can opt for the burrata affumicata, which is presented in small molds similar to ricotta, and adds a smoky nuance to all those already described above.
Stracchino
The list continues with another spreadable white fresh cheese, but with a less liquid consistency than the previous one. Stracchino is usually presented in typically rectangular containers. It’s especially appreciated in northern Italy, and is produced in Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria. It’s very common to find it spread on the typical Genoese focaccia or farinata.
Casera
Casera cheese comes from Valtellina, a region in northeastern Italy that is reached from Switzerland through the Engadine valley. It is a semi-fat cheese, which is why it melts easily with heat, and is a fundamental ingredient in the preparation of pizzoccheri. That recipe advises using other “fondente” alternatives (such as Fontina) when Casera is not available, but I have never found another cheese worth substituting for!
Gorgonzola
This is a creamy white cheese with bluish veins, which is why it is somewhat related to French Roquefort, but made from cow’s milk. There is the dolce type -very creamy and with a very particular flavor- and the piccante, whose flavor is decidedly stronger and its consistency a little firmer. This cheese is used in many recipes in which it is combined with milder flavored ingredients, such as pumpkin flan or radicchio and gorgonzola risotto.
Mascarpone
A spreadable cheese but with a relatively firm consistency, thanks to its very high fat content, which is why it is very caloric. It’s especially known as one of the main ingredients of the famous tiramisù. But it is also found in many sauces, such as in the recipe for scallops in red pepper sauce, or as an ingredient in many antipasti, for example in bresaola stuffed with mascarpone.
Ricotta and Ricotta salata
Many times it is wrongly indicated that ricotta is obtained with the following basic recipe: heat the milk, curdle it with an acid agent and salt it. After a certain amount of rest, the milk whey is separated from a fresh cheese that is actually called primo sale.
The term “ricotta” means re-cooked, and comes from the fact that this cheese is obtained by heating a mixture of whole milk and the whey obtained from the above-described cooking.
Ricotta is a famous fresh cheese with a high protein content and low fat, widely used in both sweet and savory recipes.
But on the other hand, ricotta salata is virtually unknown outside of Italy. The addition of salt and a subsequent maturation, give it a firmer consistency and a more defined flavor. It is usually used grated on salads or sauces.
Robiola
Robiola is a soft and creamy cheese made from a mixture of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk. IYou will find it sold in typical small cube packs. It can be used in sweet or savory recipes almost like ricotta, although its flavor is a little more intense. For example, I have used any of both cheeses with the same results as a filling for the very tasty fiori di zucca.
Parmigiano Reggiano
One of the tastiest cheeses in the world. For many people it’s indeed the number one, for which I have hesitated to include it in the list, since it does not need any presentation before the public. Its preparation requires a year of maturation, but I recommend you try those that have been stored for 18, 24 or even up to 36 months, to get to know the King of Cheeses in all its depth.
Other very tasty and well-known hard cheeses are Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano, each with its own particular characteristics, and which I also encourage you to discover.
Bonus: pizza lives not only from mozzarella
In order not to make the list too long, I mention in this section other cheeses that can be found in any of the countless possible versions of pizzas. Instead of going for the traditional mozzarella-based margherita, you can for example try some variant with cacciocavallo, provolone, scamorza affumicata or taleggio.