How is soft Italian cheese made? Nutritional value and vitamin and mineral composition. Benefits and harms of Caciotta, use in culinary recipes. Interesting facts about Italian cheese.
Caciotta is an Italian cheese of soft to semi-soft creamy texture, traditionally made by small farms. Each cheese dairy has its own original recipe, so the quality and size of the products obtained are somewhat different. The taste of Caciotta can be soft or spicy, the color of the flesh is white with yellow or light creamy, the consistency is dense or semi-soft, elastic, the crust is light yellow. The characteristics of cylindrical heads vary: weight - from 650 g to 1.2 kg, diameter - from 10 to 20 cm, height - from 5 to 12 cm.
How is Caciotta cheese made?
Despite the apparent similarity with curd products that do not require aging, for the manufacture of this variety it is necessary to have experience in cheese making and special equipment. You need to have special boilers for a water bath with a built-in iron grate, a culinary thermometer, thick-walled gastronorm containers with tight lids, cheese molds.
The taste of the final product depends not only on the exact observance of the Caciotta recipe, but also on the type of flavoring additives and the method of processing the crust that is being formed. You can do without flavor enhancers, but cheese grains are usually mixed with black and red hot peppers, olives, hazelnuts or capers. The crust is rubbed with olive oil or fresh tomato, sprinkled with ground pepper, smoked and even specially grown white mold on it.
How to make Caciotta cheese according to the classic recipe:
- To ensure uniform heating, the feedstock is placed in a water bath. Boiling is not carried out, the maximum temperature is 37 ° C.
- Calcium chloride is poured in, dry thermophilic starter is poured, left at a constant temperature for 1 hour.
- Coagulation is carried out using rennin. Check the density of the clot (kale) by lifting it with a knife blade.
- When cutting, cheese grains should be large enough - with edges of 2 cm. First, a dense curd layer is cut vertically, then horizontally.
- The cheese grains are heated for 20-25 minutes, increasing the temperature to 39 ° C, stirring constantly. If the pieces rising from the bottom are large, they are crushed during the process.
- The serum is drained, determining the amount of the remaining one by eye. It should cover the surface of the curd by about a finger.
- Molds for the future Caciotta cheese are covered with gauze folded in 2-3 layers. Smooth it to get an even surface of the heads. Fill the prepared containers with a slotted spoon in small portions. The cheese mass must be tamped - for this, sterile gloves are put on the hands. At this stage, flavorings are added.
- In the heat chamber - a saucepan with a grate - the molds are installed so that the water surface is 3 cm lower. At 32-38 ° C, thermophilic streptococci are activated, which absorb milk sugar. The cheese is turned over 3 times every 10 minutes, then 1 time in half an hour. If the gauze is too wet, replace it with a new one.
- The gauze is removed from the heads and placed on a drainage mat in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
- In the morning, salting is carried out: the salt is dissolved in water (brine 20%) with a temperature of 70-80 ° C, calcium chloride and white vinegar are poured in, put into the refrigerator.
- After 2-3 hours, the cheese is dipped into the cellar. Conditions for maturation: temperature - 12-15 ° С, humidity - 85-90%. If a white mold appears, wash it off with a mild solution of salt or vinegar. The ripening period is from 14 to 62 days. After the crust has dried, the head is turned over 2-3 times a day.
When the humidity in the room is low, the crust is covered with liquid wax to avoid cracking.
To prepare Caciotta cheese as a delicacy product, the head is lowered for 36 hours 72 hours after the start of ripening in a container with red wine … Once the crust is well saturated, the head is placed back in the ripening chamber.
When preparing peppercorn caciotta, the heads are placed in a container with ground pepper for 48 hours, periodically rubbing during the coup. The pepper is pre-calcined in a cast-iron pan without oil and only then is ground into crumbs.
Possibly an additional smoking … If the surface is already coated with wax, the taste improvement is not carried out.
Composition and calorie content of Caciotta cheese
The nutritional value of the product depends on the raw materials, flavorings, the way the head is processed and the aging conditions.
The calorie content of Cacciotta cheese, made according to the classic recipe, without flavor enhancers - 313 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Protein - 25 g;
- Fat - 22 g;
- Carbohydrates - 4 g;
- Water - 51 g.
Vitamins per 100 g
- Vitamin A - 256 mcg;
- Beta Carotene - 0.16 mg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.04 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.35 mg;
- Vitamin D, calciferol - 0.78 mcg;
- Vitamin PP - 604 mg.
Macronutrients per 100 g
- Potassium, K - 100 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 875 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 50 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 940 mg;
- Sulfur, S - 233 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 650 mg.
Microelements per 100 g
- Iron, Fe - 0.6 mg;
- Zinc, Zn - 4 mg.
The Caciotta cheese contains all types of amino acids, fatty acids - saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated, cholesterol.
Cheese is often included in weight loss diets because it is low in carbohydrates and high in milk protein. This allows you to quickly replenish the body's energy reserve and recover from exhausting mental and physical stress.
Useful properties of Caciotta cheese
The effect of the product on the human body depends on the ripening time. Fresh sweetish pulp, which is consumed 2-3 days after molding, accelerates metabolic processes and creates an optimal environment for the vital activity of beneficial microflora, and ripe, piquant pulp stimulates the production of bile salts and hydrochloric acid, increases the acidity of gastric juice.
Benefits of Caciotta cheese:
- Strengthens bone tissue and teeth, prevents degenerative-dystrophic changes - osteochondrosis and arthrosis, as well as the destruction of the skeleton - osteoporosis.
- Increases immune status and antibacterial activity.
- Has probiotic activity, accelerates the digestion of food. Eliminates putrefactive processes in the intestines and bad breath.
- Cheese without additives reduces the production of histamine.
- Normalizes blood pressure, reduces the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Due to its antioxidant properties, it prevents the development of intestinal oncological processes, isolates free radicals traveling in the lumen of the loops.
- Normalizes water and electrolyte balance. Unrestrained Caciotta has a mild diuretic effect, while matured Caciotta prevents fluid loss.
Young goat cheese is easily digestible and enriches the body with useful substances.
This fresh product is especially useful for women. A small portion relieves the feeling of hunger, facilitates the course of PMS and the symptoms of transition to menopause, prevents the development of inflammatory processes of gynecological organs caused by an increase in the activity of the Candida fungus - candidiasis and vulvovaginitis. When using a portion of 100-150 g 3-4 times a week, the hair becomes silky, grows faster, and the nails stop exfoliating.
Recipes with Caciotta cheese
When introducing this variety as an ingredient in dishes, special properties should be taken into account. Young cheese does not melt, it can be fried on a grill and in a pan, and when ripened when heated, it acquires a pasty consistency. It can be used to make hot dishes - various types of sandwiches, a variety of pastries, soups and sauces.
Recipes with Caciotta cheese:
- Stuffed cannelloni … Roast meat is prepared in advance. Holes are made in a piece of beef and garlic is inserted, and then the workpiece is fried in a brazier until golden brown in a mixture of oils - butter and refined sunflower. Then the meat is taken out, in the container, without removing it from the heat, vegetable slices are placed - celery, kohlrabi (by removing the leaves), carrots and red onions, everything is poured with red wine, sprinkled with a mixture of peppers with a predominance of black, cloves, salt, then evaporated 1/3 liquid. The meat is stewed in sauce until tender, adding nutmeg. Knead an elastic soft dough from flour, salt and eggs, adding water "by eye". Allow him to rest for 20 minutes under cling film, then roll it into a layer up to 2 mm thick, cut into squares with sides of 10 cm. Boil the workpieces in salted water for 5 minutes, put them in a colander, and place them on greased baking sheets. Turn the roast through a meat grinder, add nutmeg. Minced meat is spread on squares, sprinkled with grated cheese - just a little, 1 tsp each, wrapped in rolls. Pour the roast sauce into the mold, spread the cannelloni, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake at 160-180 ° C until the Caciotta is melted. Then they take the dish out of the oven and fill it with beaten eggs. Bake for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.
- Pizza … To knead the dough, combine flour (3-4 cups) with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. soda and 0.5 tsp. Sahara. Pour in 200 ml of kefir, 1 tbsp. l. sour cream and mayonnaise, drive in 1 egg. The dough should be soft, elastic and not stick to your hands. Let the mixture stand, covered with a napkin, for 15 minutes. It is better to cut the ingredients for the filling immediately, placing them in separate bowls. Then it will be more convenient to collect. Prepare 100 g of sausage, pickled champignons, ripe Caciotta, half a red or orange bell pepper, 1 onion and 1-2 tomatoes, a bunch of greens. Heat the oven to 190-200 ° C. Roll out the dough into a layer, coat with ketchup and sour cream, lay out all the ingredients, except for cheese. The last layer is tomatoes and herbs. Put the pizza in the oven, bake for 15 minutes. Then they take out a baking sheet, sprinkle with grated cheese. After the Caciotta has melted, the pizza is ready.
- Beetroot cooler … The beets are baked in the oven along with the peel until soft, then peeled and interrupted with a blender with kefir. Dice cheese, boiled potatoes and fresh cucumbers, pour into cream soup, salt and pepper.
- Vegetable salad … The lettuce leaves are torn by hand into small pieces, the Semirenko apple is peeled and chopped, removing the core. All ingredients are mixed with pomegranate seeds in approximately equal parts. Season with balsamic vinegar. For breading, mix crackers with crushed garlic and thyme. The cheese is cut into cubes, rolled in a mixture and fried in refined olive oil until golden brown and, while hot, spread on top of a fruit salad pillow. The salad is eaten warm.
See also Saint-Necter cheese recipes.
Interesting facts about Caciotta cheese
This product is mentioned in manuscripts dating from the 9th century. It can be concluded that this variety was first started to be made in southern Italy. Small heads, which almost did not require ripening, won the love of military personnel, shepherds and nomads. The cheese did not take up much space in the knapsacks and quickly satisfied hunger.
The popularity of Caciotta can be attributed to the variety of recipes. Despite the fact that the classic versions of the product were made from goat milk, versions from the milk yield of other types of cattle are not only possible, but are currently produced under officially registered brands.
Cheese with various fillings also received its names:
- Tre latte - classic goat milk;
- Tipo dolce - from cow;
- Tipo saporito / lazial - from sheep;
- La Cocina Caciotta - with red pepper;
- Caciotta Al Pepperoncino - with pepperoni (American smoked salami-type sausage);
- Caciotta Al Tartufo - with black truffle, the most expensive variety.
Consumers prefer Cacio Marzolino produced in spring. In translation from Italian it is called “March”. It is not only sweetish, but also smells like flowers. For its production use the milk of goats that grazed on fresh young grass.
The shelf life of a whole cheese head, if wrapped in foil or food parchment and provided with a special microclimate (+ 7 ° C and 90% humidity) is 1 year. After cutting, young Caciotta cheese cannot be stored at home for more than 48 hours, and ripened with pepper or other hot spices - more than a month.
Watch a video about Caciotta cheese:
