Caciocavallo
Description
This appetizer is quick and easy to prepare. The process itself is quite simple and familiar to anyone who has made cheese at home more than once. What makes this cheese distinctive is the shape it is given—a pear. And this cheese pear ripens while hanging. If you are not afraid to try your hand at something as unusual as cheese-making, I highly recommend adding this wonderful little cheese to your menu. It can be served warm or chilled.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Warm the milk to 33 degrees (of course, you can't do without a thermometer here). Add the starter culture (spread it over the surface of the milk and, after a couple of minutes, stir gently). Cover with a lid and leave for half an hour. A water bath is very convenient for gentle heating.
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Step 2
2. After that, you can add rennet. Leave the milk undisturbed again, this time for about an hour.
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Step 3
3. You should end up with a clump like this. Carefully cut it into small cubes.
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Step 4
4. Like this.
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Step 5
5. The next step is kneading.
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Step 6
6. Gently stir the diced curd for a couple of minutes.
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Step 7
7. Gradually, over 20 minutes, raise the temperature to 38 degrees. Cook the cheese pieces for 15–20 minutes. This is what the result should look like after this step.
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Step 8
8. Now you can drain off the whey.
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Step 9
9. And spread the cheese base into the molds.
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Step 10
10. You can place the molds under light pressure to remove excess liquid. Next, the cheese mixture needs heat. You can set the molds on a water bath and cook gently.
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Step 11
11. After 5-6 hours, you can proceed to the next stage.
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Step 12
**12.** Cut the cheese into thin strips and place in warm water. Heat through.
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Step 13
13. And next comes the most difficult and interesting stage. This is stretching. The cheese must melt well, and the temperature should stay around 60 degrees. You can put on gloves or dip your hands in cold water so you don’t burn yourself. Take the cheese and start stretching, forming a long strip (as far as your hands allow), knead it, and repeat again.
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Step 14
14. From the finished curd, shape a little pouch or pear like this. Submerge the cheese in a salt brine (60 grams of salt per 4 liters of water, vinegar, and calcium chloride — preheat first). Leave it in the brine. Time: 2–3 hours per 450 grams of cheese.
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Step 15
15. After brining, the cheese enters its final stage — hanging and aging. In a cool room, leave the cheese to mature for at least 6 weeks.