Description of Fontina cheese and cooking features. Calorie content, composition, benefits, contraindications for use. Recipes for dishes and the history of the appearance of the variety.
Fontina is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from raw cow's milk. The texture becomes denser as it matures. The pulp contains a small number of unevenly distributed medium-sized eyes, color - from "noble" ivory to straw. The aroma is rich, cheese-spicy, the taste is sweetish, creamy-nutty. In young cheese, the spice is barely perceptible. The heads are cylindrical, with a diameter of 35-40 cm and a height of 8-10 cm, weighing from 6 to 18 kg. The crust is natural, light or dark brown.
How is Fontina cheese made?
To prepare an original product according to the traditional recipe, take 1 milk yield milk. But since food factories produce this variety in large quantities (up to 700 pieces per year), these rules are often neglected and milk is collected from 2 or even 3 milk yields. But be sure to take fresh milk - within 2 hours after milking, and only from cows of the red breed (Valdostan or Valdostanki). To get 1 kg of the final product, you need 10 liters of raw materials.
How Fontina cheese is made:
- Heat treatment is carried out at 36 ° C, keeping for 2-3 hours.
- At the same temperature, without cooling, mesophilic cultures are poured in and curdled with rennet from the stomach of a newborn calf. Calcium chloride is used as a preservative.
- After the dense kale has been formed, it is cut into grains the size of corn.
- Heat slowly to 45-48 ° C. Cheesemakers determine by eye when the whey becomes transparent, and stir the grains until they acquire a round shape. Then the intermediate raw materials are left to rest - for 10-15 minutes, so that the curd mass settles.
- For coagulation, only copper cauldrons are used, otherwise it will not work to cook Fontina cheese, as in the original recipe. In dairy factories, steel containers are used, but they try to cover them with copper at least from the inside. This increases the cost of the final product.
- For pressing, the cheese mass is laid out in molds covered with cheese cloth folded in several layers. It should be smoothed thoroughly to obtain a smooth crust.
- Light pressing to form the head lasts 15 minutes, and the main one - 24 hours. The weight of the oppression is increased to 8 kg per 1 kg of cheese. The molds are turned over every 2 hours.
- After pressing, marking is carried out: a brand of casein is applied to the surface of the head, in the future it will become part of the crust. Only then salting is carried out in 20% brine at a liquid temperature of 12-13 ° C.
- Dip the cheese in the brine for 24 hours, turn over after 12.
Maturation takes place in natural grottoes with a constant microclimate: temperature - 10-13 ° C, humidity - 90%. You have to go down to the cave for the first 2 weeks, 2 times a day, to wipe the crust with a soft cloth dipped in brine, and for another month - once every 2 days. Further processing is carried out as needed. When making Fontina cheese at home, such conditions are created in a special chamber.
You can taste it no earlier than 80 days later. Of course, if you want, cut off a piece earlier, but then the texture is wet and the taste is inexpressive. According to reviews, it can be compared to cotton wool with the taste of ripe mushrooms. If you take your time, you will not experience disappointment. The French prefer aging for 12-14 months.
Composition and calorie content of Fontina cheese
The fat content of the raw milk product is estimated at 45-47%. As the body ages, the lipid-carbohydrate ratio changes as moisture evaporates and the texture thickens.
The calorie content of Fontina cheese is 343-389 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 25.6 g;
- Fat - 31.1 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1.6 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Retinol - 0.258 mg;
- Beta Carotene - 0.032 mg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.021 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.204 mg;
- Vitamin B4, choline - 15.4 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 0.429 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.083 mg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 0.27 mg;
- Vitamin PP - 0.15 mg.
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium, K - 64 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 550 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 14 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 800 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 346 mg.
Microelements per 100 g:
- Iron, Fe - 0.23 mg;
- Manganese, Mn - 0.014 mg;
- Copper, Cu - 25 μg;
- Selenium, Se - 14.5 μg;
- Zinc, Zn - 3.5 mg.
Phenylalanine, leucine and valine predominate among the essential amino acids; among the nonessential ones are glutamic acid, proline and tyrosine.
Fats per 100 g:
- Omega-3 - 0.79 g;
- Omega-6 - 0.864 g;
- Cholesterol - 116 mg per 100 g.
It should also be noted that there are other compounds in the composition of Fontina cheese, which are necessary to maintain healthy vital functions of the human body: monounsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Despite its relatively high nutritional value, this product is often included in weight loss diets in order to maintain the body's supply of nutrients and energy reserves. This is possible due to a balanced complex of nutrients and easily digestible milk protein. The load on the digestive organs does not increase, the rate of metabolic processes does not change significantly.
Useful properties of Fontina cheese
If you include this variety in the daily menu at least 5 times a week, you don't have to worry about dental health. It contains a high amount of calcium. The quality of hair and nails improves, and the regeneration of epithelial tissues is accelerated.
Benefits of Fontina cheese:
- The vital activity of lactic acid bacteria colonizing the small intestine increases, the absorption of nutrients increases.
- When moving along the digestive tract, it creates a film on the mucous membrane, which reduces the aggressive effect of the digestive juice.
- The risk of developing neoplasms is reduced.
- Accelerates the healing process of wounds and injuries on the skin and mucous membranes.
- Stops age-related changes, reduces pigmentation, increases the protective properties of the epidermis.
- Prevents osteoporosis and degenerative-dystrophic changes in blood vessels, cartilage and bone tissue.
- Reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol.
- Stops fluid loss, which improves skin tone.
- Has a calming effect, promotes the production of serotonin.
There are no age-related contraindications for the introduction of this product into the diet.
The variety-based mono diet helps you lose 4 kg in 5 days. At this time, the daily menu includes 100 g of cheese, 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 glass of kefir or yogurt and up to 2 liters of pure water or green tea. The body's reserve of nutrients is not depleted.
Contraindications and harm of Fontina cheese
Since the raw material is raw milk, you should only purchase from a reputable manufacturer. Due to the fact that heat treatment is not carried out, if the storage or transportation conditions are violated, pathogenic microorganisms can be activated, which reduce the activity during fermentation. In persons with weak immunity, children under 3 years of age, the elderly and women during pregnancy and lactation, dysbiosis or digestive disorders may develop.
Fontina cheese can cause harm if you are allergic to milk protein or thermophilic cultures. Do not abuse this product for obesity, chronic pancreatitis, liver disease.
The salinity of the variety is relatively low, therefore, in case of kidney disease, a categorical refusal is not required. It is enough to limit the daily portion to 30 g.
Fontina cheese recipes
The taste of a fermented milk product is combined with fortified and dry red wines. Because of its low melting point, the variety is used to make fondues, ravioli, pasta sauce, polenta, and mashed soups.
Fontina cheese recipes:
- Baked fondue … The oven is heated to 200 ° C. Grind 100 g of Parmesan, Fontin and Azizago, mix with 250 g of cream cheese. Fry 1 large red bell pepper in butter, cut into squares, add to the cheese, and brown 100 g of bacon in the same pan for 3 minutes. All are mixed, transferred to a silicone mold or clay pot and sprinkled with black pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Mushrooms with cheese … The champignons are finely chopped, fried in a pan, seasoning with onions, salt and pepper. When the mushrooms are ready, add herbs and grated Fortin cheese to them, and when it melts, remove the pan from the heat. The dish is served hot.
- Cheese pesto sandwiches … First, prepare the sauce. Put 1 clove of garlic in a mixer bowl, a bunch of mint, parsley and basil, 1 onion with sprouted feathers. Olive oil (120 g) is gradually poured in until a homogeneous consistency is obtained, add 2 tbsp. l. grated Parmesan. Pieces of white bread are placed in a sandwich maker. On one side, they are greased with sauce, and 1 piece of Fontin is placed on top. Place in a dry skillet and cover, keeping on low heat until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle the toasted bread with herbs and spread in 2 layers.
- Cheese baskets … Preheat the oven to a temperature of 170-175 ° C. A small butternut squash is peeled and cut into thin slices. Bake, spread in one layer on a baking sheet, greased with butter, until they soften. For the filling, mix 500 g of grated Fontin, 1 chicken egg and 1 tbsp. l. dried oregano. In a frying pan, in butter, fry 1/2 tsp. flakes of red pepper and 2 pinched cloves of garlic. As soon as a delicious smell appears, spread out 200 g of chopped fresh spinach and simmer until it becomes soft. Pour 1 tbsp into spinach. l. sage, pour in 400 ml of milk, bring to a boil and stir until the liquid evaporates by 1/3. To make the baskets, grease the muffin molds with butter, spread the pumpkin pieces on the bottom. Top with a mixture of spinach, adding to it grated Fontina or Ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with milk garlic sauce, and then lay out the second slice of pumpkin. Sprinkle on Fontin again and put it in the oven. While the cheese is melting, fresh sage leaves are quickly fried in olive oil. Enough 30 seconds. Blot with a paper towel. Finished baskets are decorated with roasted sage and sprinkled with nutmeg.
- Risotto 4 cheese … Half a head of onion is sautéed in a frying pan for 30 g of butter, stirring constantly so that it does not have time to fry and brown. Pour 350 g of carnaroli rice and continue stirring until the grains become transparent. Pour in 600 ml of boiling chicken broth, wait until it evaporates, and continue to add broth little by little - the same amount. Pour 40 g of Fontin and Emmental, 150 g of Grana Padano and quite a bit, 20-30 g of Gorgonzola. Salted, preferably with sea salt, pepper, add 30 g of butter and fresh herbs, let stand over low heat for 5 minutes. Serve in a skillet or on preheated plates.
See also recipes with Graviera cheese.
Interesting facts about Fontina cheese
The history of the variety can be dated back to the XII-XIV century. A cheese dairy with heads was captured on a fresco of an ancient castle in Issogne in the Valle d'Aosta region. The owners of the castle insist on a more ancient origin of the property. But the first written records date back to 1477, that is, the 15th century. It was then that Fontina cheese was mentioned in treatises on cheeses - it was composed by Pantaleone da Confienza, a doctor by profession.
Scientists cannot agree not only on the time of origin of the variety, but also on how the name appeared. The more romantic believe that the recipe was invented by a woman and called it by her own name, or the cheese maker dedicated a new taste to his beloved. The more realistic are sure that the cheese was first cooked in the village of the same name. There is another version that the name reflected one of the properties of the variety: "fontino" from the Italian "melting".
The updated information appeared in 1887, when the variety entered the cheese catalog, which already described the recipe for making it. Reclassification was carried out in the 30s of the XX century by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In 1957, a manufacturing recipe was patented, after which the output increased to 300 thousand heads per year. The product was manufactured for export. By the end of the twentieth century, the European Union awarded the variety with the DOP - Protected Naming of Origin certificate, after which the import increased.
Fontina is a cheese that can be purchased throughout the former CIS and not only in large cities, but also in supermarkets in regional centers. But there is no guarantee that you will be able to try the original product. Fontina cheese is made by Swedes, Danes and even Americans, who officially bought the recipe. In Denmark and Sweden, the crust is covered with red wax, but American cheese makers oil the surface of the head and, extending the shelf life, apply scarlet latex to it.
Note! Variations marked with the “Fontella”, “Fontal” or “Fontinella” brands do not have the DOP category and do not possess the original spicy taste.
Watch the video about Fontina cheese:
