Italy is famous for its many delicious types of cheeses.
Italy, famous for its rich, flavorful dishes, produces some of the most delicious cheeses in the world. From soft cheeses to hard cheeses, Italy offers a vast selection, and every cheese lover has a favorite. Italian cheeses are not all alike. Each possesses distinct characteristics that separate them from one another.
Mozzarella
Most Americans associate mozzarella cheese with pizza. Known for its characteristic light, smooth taste, mozzarella serves as a staple food in many households. Italy produces this soft cheese, and the freshness mozzarella possesses allows it to be eaten plain. Originally made in southern Italy, mozzarella is formed of curdled milk. Although early forms of mozzarella were made from goat's milk, in modern times, cow's milk is a more common base.
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola has a distinctive "stinky" odor. This robust, distinctly sharp cheese overpowers most flavors. Most people either love or hate Gorgonzola; it definitely leaves some sort of impression. Comparable to American "blue" cheese, Gorgonzola pairs beautifully with sweet fruits like pears and grapes.
Ricotta
Ricotta means "to cook again." This processed Italian cheese melts easily due to its ultra-creamy texture. Many popular Italian dishes contain ricotta, including lasagna and cannoli. Ricotta shares similarities in appearance with cottage cheese. The cheese is derived from heated cow's milk, to which citric acid is added to encourage the separation of the curds while solidifying the cheese.
Mascarpone
Mascarpone, a cream cheese, spreads easily on crackers and pastries. Widely known as a main ingredient of tiramisu, this Italian cheese is tender and smooth with a characteristic rich, velvety taste. However, many cheese connoisseurs don't even consider Mascarpone a cheese because of the steps involved to process the cheese. A culture is added to cream skimmed off of fresh milk to make the cheese, much like the way yogurt is made. It is referred to as a cured cheese.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano, an aged cheese second in popularity only to mozzarella, serves as a popular topper for many dishes. Powerful in flavor, this hard Italian cheese is often shredded on top of pasta. Aged up to 36 months, the rind of the cheese hardens to the extent of rendering it useless, although some creative chefs find a way of incorporating the rind into a dish. Known as Parmesan cheese in America, this Italian cheese possesses a sharp, tangy flavor.
Provolone
Provolone is know for its mild, smoky flavor. This dry cheese manages to maintain its freshness and pairs well with deli meat. Its elastic texture causes it to melt perfectly, leaving it not too creamy nor too stiff. Provolone begins as mozzarella and, after aging for a up to a year, develops into a firmer, rich cheese.
Asiago
A mildly pungent taste sets Asiago apart from other Italian cheeses. A long maturation process, extending sometimes over two years, produces a mildly sharp taste and characteristic tiny holes. Asiago can be grated and used as a condiment. A perfect accompaniment to sweet fruits and desserts, Asiago also adds a little zing to pasta and soups.
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