Description of Bel-paese cheese and method of production. Nutritional value, composition, benefits and harms. The use of the variety for the preparation of various dishes and its history.
Bel-paeze is a semi-soft Italian cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk with the patriotic name "Wonderful Country", with a washed crust. Texture - smooth, creamy, soft, no eyes; color - creamy, yellowish, unsaturated; taste - milky, sweet, buttery with a delicate aftertaste; aroma - light and pleasant, fresh cottage cheese; the crust is elastic, smooth, straw-colored. The shape of the heads is a flattened cylinder or "wheel", the sizes can be different. During pre-sale preparation, it is most often cut into pieces weighing 250 g and packaged in foil or vacuum packaging.
How is Bel paese cheese made?
To get 1 kg of the final product, prepare 8 liters of raw material - pasteurized milk. Complex starter culture, 3 types - thermophilic, non-gas-forming and gas-forming, fungal culture Geotrichum candidum. For curdling - rennet. Be sure to add calcium chloride.
How Bel Paese cheese is made:
- Prepare a water bath and heat the milk to 39 ° C. If it is possible to dim or increase the heat, you can cook on a gas stove.
- After all the raw materials are evenly warmed up, pour in the starter culture and allow to be absorbed. The temperature is increased to 42 ° C. The diluted rennet is poured in and the kale is formed.
- The dense formation is checked for clean fracture and, if prepared, cutting is carried out. The size of the cheese grains is 1x1 cm. It is better to use a cheese lyre.
- The intermediate raw materials are allowed to settle, kneaded. At this stage, Bel-paeze cheese is prepared, like many varieties, checking the quality of the grains empirically, squeezing them in the palm of your hand. As soon as the curd becomes elastic, you can proceed to remove the whey.
- When the curd mass settles, as much liquid as possible is drained, and the layer itself, carefully, without removing it from the pan, is transferred to a cloth of rare weaving for drainage. Knead the mass by shaping the desired shape with your hands and squeezing the whey. The future head is periodically raised and the liquid is drained. The process is repeated several times until, after pressing, the liquid stops separating.
- They take out the already formed cheese mass, change the fabric to dry, transfer it to a mold and put oppression on top. Maintain a constant temperature, according to the Bel-paese recipe, at 28-30 ° C. This is what a water bath is for. It is convenient to put the form on a drainage mat in a wide bowl so that the head does not overcool.
- Turn the head over every 20 minutes, assessing the readiness "by eye". The activity of the starter culture is not blocked, it continues to work. Turning over, it is estimated how much denser the texture becomes and how much the surface smoothes. After the "monolith" has been obtained, the mold is left for self-pressing for 3-4 hours. Turn over 1-2 times.
- Salting wet, in 20% cool brine. The time is calculated specifically for each batch: for every 500 g - 30 minutes.
- The heads are removed from the brine, dried with a paper towel and left on a rack at 18-20 ° C for 2 days, turning every 8 hours.
- For maturation, chambers with a temperature of 10-12 ° C and a humidity of 90-95% are used. During the first days, you can use drainage mats to prevent moisture from spilling over the chamber.
By the end of the first week, a crust begins to form, on which oil drops protrude. They must be removed with a soft cloth soaked in a weak 15% brine. Washing is carried out 21 days after 48 hours. By the end of the month, the activity of the fungal culture will increase and a white bloom will appear on the surface. When the entire crust is covered with a light fluff, it is washed off with 59-60% brine and the heads are wrapped in parchment or waxed paper. For further exposure, the microclimate is changed: the humidity is left the same, and the temperature is reduced to 4-6 ° C. That is, they provide the conditions of a conventional refrigerator.
Ripening time - from 5 weeks to 2 months. In dairy factories, after removing the white mold, the heads are coated with light brown latex or dark yellow wax. Cheaper options are packed in foil.
Composition and calorie content of Bel-paese cheese
The crust of the heads is inedible. If the pulp is prepared on the basis of milk, salt and rennet, then calcium and potassium sorbate, natamycin, stopping the activity of the fungal culture, can be included in the crust. Therefore, you should cut off not only the latex (or wax coating), but also the layer under it. Fat content - 45-50%.
The calorie content of Bel-paeze cheese is 336-374 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 22-23.5 g;
- Fat - 26-30 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1-2, 4 g, of which sugars - 0.8 g.
High amount of salt - 1.7 g per 100 g.
The vitamin complex is dominated by tocopherol, retinol, choline, pyridoxine, folic acid. Of the macro- and microelements in Bel-paese cheese, most of all are calcium - 290 mg / 100 g and phosphorus - 430 mg / 100 g. Potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, chlorine, zinc and selenium should be noted.
Fats per 100 g:
- Cholesterol - 98 mg;
- Saturated Fatty Acids - 17.5 mg
You have to sweat to cope with the calories from this portion of cheese and convert them into energy. Dedicate 57 minutes to cycling or the same amount of time to pedal a stationary bike, run 38 minutes in a stadium, or clean 2 or 2 hours in your home or garden. In the latter case, it is necessary to choose such actions in order to load the muscles of different groups. Only by wiping off dust or sorting through things, it will not work to stop the formation of a fat layer.
Read also about the composition and calorie content of Keshel Blue cheese
Benefits of Belle paese cheese
Regular addition to the diet maintains the body's tone and replenishes the vitamin and mineral reserve. Since the raw material is pasteurized milk, the microbiological hazard is low in terms of contamination with listeriosis and salmonellosis.
Benefits of Belle paese cheese:
- Stops the development of osteoporosis and osteochondrosis.
- Prolongs the youthfulness of the skin and improves tone, accelerates the regeneration of epithelial tissue.
- Stimulates the production of red blood cells, enhances immunity and has anti-inflammatory activity against viruses and bacteria that penetrate through the oropharynx.
- Increases the production of saliva, which prevents the appearance of stomatitis, periodontal disease and gingivitis.
- Stimulates the secretion of enzymes and bile acids.
The recommended daily dosage is 50-60 g for women and 80-90 g for men. Regular addition to the diet prolongs the life cycle of beneficial intestinal flora, normalizes digestive processes. This variety can be snacked on during a diet when you feel hungry. A thin slice before bed will help you sleep well and will not lead to the formation of body fat.
Read more about the benefits of Cotswold cheese
Contraindications and harm of Bel-paeze cheese
The possibility of allergies is high. Individual intolerance can develop on fungal cultures or rennet. You should refuse to enter the diet with lactase deficiency.
The harm from Bel-paese cheese can manifest itself with abuse, especially in people with low immunity, with diseases of the digestive system and liver. Penicillin suppresses the activity of beneficial flora and causes dysbiosis.
It is recommended to reduce portions with increased acidity of gastric juice, so as not to provoke the development of peptic ulcer or erosive gastritis. Overeating should be avoided if obese. High calorie content increases the load on the internal organs - eating disorders develop, the quality of the skin deteriorates (acne appears, acne).
Belle paese cheese recipes
Italians consider this variety to be "on duty". It is eaten for breakfast and dinner, served with fruits and wines of various varieties. They do not put it on cheese plates, since the taste does not differ in sophistication, but they are willingly used for making pizza, toppings for baking and salads. In culinary recipes, they can be substituted for Mozzarella.
Belle paese cheese recipes:
- Bruschetta … Red onions are marinated in advance, pouring balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, pepper and a little salt. Must stand for at least 30 minutes. Zucchini squash, colored peppers and eggplants are grilled with the peel. It is easier to remove it after the vegetables are ready. At this time, bread is fried on the same grill or in a toaster, cheese and tomatoes are cut into cubes, after removing the skin. To do this, they are dipped in boiling water for 1, 5 minutes, and then a cross-shaped incision is made at the top. Cut vegetables, season with black pepper and salt, add onions. Spread the bread on the edge of a plate, grease with a thin layer of butter, sprinkle with cheese and cheese cubes.
- Green bean salad … The beans are boiled almost until cooked, washed with running water, again poured into boiling salted water and the potatoes, cut into cubes, are placed there. The vegetables must be cooked at the same time, and the beans will "share" the flavor with the potatoes. They are thrown into a colander and allowed to drain, transferred to a salad bowl. Mix with cheese cubes, raw onions, boiled eggs, canned tuna (after removing the liquid) and tomatoes. Add greens, basil leaves, add salt, if necessary. It is better to fill it with olive oil, but you can also use balsamic vinegar.
- Vegetable soufflé … You can use zucchini or pumpkin as the main ingredient. Chop half of the red onion in a blender, boil the zucchini (or pumpkin) until tender. Vegetables are mixed with onions and mashed. The milk is heated, pre-prepared chopped Bel-paese and a little flour are added, the sauce is boiled, not allowing it to boil, so that it thickens. Remove from heat, cool slightly and drive eggs into it. You need to calculate so that the eggs are not boiled. Preheat the oven to 190 ° C, grease the mold with sunflower oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Mix vegetable puree with cheese and egg sauce and ground fried almonds, pour into a prepared container. They bake for no longer than 5-6 minutes - if you overexpose, a delicate consistency will not work. Serve hot. In order not to lower the soufflé, when baking, it is better to pour it into small muffin tins.
- Spinach pie … The butter, half a pack, is melted at room temperature, salted, mixed with an egg and as much flour is added as needed to knead a soft dough. Roll it into a ball, wrap it in cling film and put it in the refrigerator. Spinach is boiled or steamed, finely chopped onion is allowed in a frying pan in refined sunflower oil. Squeeze excess liquid out of spinach, cut it into small pieces and mix with onions, pour in a little heavy cream so that it does not turn out very liquid, pepper abundantly with black pepper and paprika, add some salt. To pour, beat eggs and add a mixture of cheeses - 1/3 Parmesan and 2/3 Bel-paeze. Heat the oven to 200 ° C, cover the baking sheet with parchment. Form the cake: a layer of dough, filling so that high edges can be formed, and pouring on top. Bake until the dough is browned. The cake is served warm.
See also Huntsman cheese recipes.
Interesting facts about Bel paese cheese
At the beginning of the 20th century, the owners of Italian grocery stores preferred French cheeses. Therefore, one of the major dairy producers Egidio Galbani (founder of the company of the same name) decided to develop a cheese recipe that could outshine the popular French varieties. And by 1906 they made Bel-paese for the first time, having thought over the marketing company in advance and chosen the name. It was inspired by Abbot Stoppani, the author of the book "Il Bel Paese", who described the beauty and life of the country.
The main qualities of the new product are simple taste, the possibility of consumption for all categories of the population, a democratic price, the possibility of long-term storage. The variety immediately won the love of consumers, not only in its own country, but also among its neighbors.
Since 1911, he has won numerous awards at international competitions in Paris. The recipe was purchased by the Americans. Interestingly, in the United States, the label depicts a map not of Italy, but of America, although the portrait of the abbot remains unchanged.
Now Bel-paeze cheese is sold all over the world, it is made not only in their small homeland, but also all over the world. Dairy factories (companies) in the USA, Australia and even Belarus are engaged in manufacturing.
When storing in the refrigerator, do not remove the foil. The activity of the fungal culture is not completely stopped, and when favorable conditions are created, the cheese will begin to mold. If mold reappears and tears occur, the product will have to be disposed of. These signs are evidence of spoilage. In no case should you feast on Bel-paeze if black or green mold has appeared on it.
Watch a video about Bel-paese cheese:
