The Italian cheeses we all know
There are plenty of different types of cheese in the world as well as in Italy. And today we will have a look at some of these great Italian cheeses that we know of and we love. There is quite a big number of these so I will only write about the main ones and the most popular.
We will first start with mozzarella. This type of cheese is one of the symbols of Italian cheese and is widely known throughout the world. It is a cheese made of a soft paste which is mainly produced in southern Italy in the regions of Campania, Lazio, Basilicata and Apulia. The real mozzarella is made from buffalo milk.
The cheese is often used on pizzas, but Italian prefers to eat it on its own simply with a drizzle of olive oil on it.
Parmigiano is another well known type of Italian cheese made from cow milk. Used all over the world and widely copied, real parmigiano is a tasty cheese which will give a lot of flavour to anything. We fairly often eat this kind of cheese on pasta. This cheese usually ages in a special room for around twelve to twenty four months before being sold and eaten.
It is important to notice that parmigiano is often confused with a close cousin called Grana Padano which is quite similar.
Now lets talk about Gorgonzola. This strong cheese which is often compared to the French blue cheese is also made from cow milk and is only aged in rooms for five to seven weeks which is not much compared to Parmigiano.
Gorgonzola comes from the area around Milano but is also produced in the neighbour region of Piedmont. This cheese is also frequently used in Italian recipes.
Ricotta on the other hand is not as strong as Gorgonzola but on the opposite more like a soft cheese which is actually made from goat or sheep milk. Interestingly, this cheese also originates from northern Italy and more specifically the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy.
This cheese that can be eaten with either salt or sugar is only aged for around ten days and is fairly often used to make cakes.
Finally, I will finish with Mascarpone. This cheese looks a lot like ricotta with its soft paste and is also made from cow milk. This cheese is often compared to the French crème fraiche because it is used for the same purposes in Italy.
The cheese also comes from Piedmont and Lombardy and is also often used in cakes like the famous Tiramisu.
Italian cheeses can be great as food gifts and in gift hampers with for instance. A lot of Italian shops now do to get you what you want.
