Composition and calorie content of Betmal cheese, restrictions on use and useful properties. Dishes, interesting facts.
Betmal is a cheese from France, made only in the Southern and Eastern Pyrenees. The raw material is raw cow's milk. The shape of the head is a flattened disc with a significantly protruding rounded lateral part, weight - from 4.5 to 7 kg. The crust is thin, smooth, brownish or reddish, covered with whitish stripes. The texture is dense, the consistency is elastic. These parameters depend on the degree of aging: the more it is, the harder the pulp. Scattered along the cut are many small flattened eyes of various sizes. The color is yellowish, the aroma is a mixture of slightly sour milk and freshly cut hay, with a hint of peach-pineapple puree. Taste - from sweetish-creamy to pronounced spicy. The variety is considered quite rare even in the country where it is made.
How is Betmal cheese made?
The feedstock is collected in special boilers, kept for 24 hours and cooled. There is no special enrichment.
There is no exact recipe for how to make Betmal cheese. Variations are allowed with the introduction of lactobacillus cultures and with pressing, changes in the concentration of brine. In addition, the seasonality of production affects the taste of the final product. The most delicious is summer, because cows eat only meadow grasses.
The milk is heated to 33 ° C. A starter culture, a curdling agent - rennet from the stomach of newborn calves is introduced, mixed from bottom to top. After curdling, the kale is cut with a narrow knife with a thin blade into very small pieces, the size of a cherry pit. Some cheesemakers use a mesh made of steel strings for this process.
The cheese grains are expected to settle, they are again heated to 33 ° C, 1/3 of the whey is poured, and again stirred until the grains of cheese are reduced to the size of coffee. The contents of the vats are allowed to rest for 1, 5-2 hours, and then the compacted curd mass is transferred into perforated forms. The final separation of the serum takes 24 hours.
Then the heads are placed under oppression for a day, left for another 24 hours, turning over 3-4 times.
Dry salting, coarse salt. Preference is given to immersion in salt for 2 days, but sometimes the heads are dried, rubbing every hour with a coarse mineral substance.
Aging takes place in damp basements with constant temperature and stable ventilation. Cheese cannot be left "unattended" - it is periodically turned over and cleaned with a brush. At the first signs of mold, the crust is wiped with a strong brine, they try not to use vinegar. The minimum aging period is 3 months, the maximum - up to six months. Periodically, the heads are turned over and cleaned.
Composition and calorie content of Betmal cheese
The nutritional value of the product depends on the season of production and the aging time. In the pulp of mature heads, there are more carbohydrates and table salt, the taste of which is clearly felt if you cut a piece closer to the crust. The cheese made from winter milk is fatter, cream accumulates on the surface during the day of settling. Fat content is estimated at 28-35%.
On average, the calorie content of Betmal cheese is 371-387 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Protein - 22 g;
- Fat - 31 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1 g.
The Betmal cheese contains an easily digestible milk protein, a lot of calcium and phosphorus, potassium, sodium. The predominant vitamins are: tocopherol, retinol, group B - riboflavin, thiamine, panthenol and nicotinic acid.
Due to the high amount of amino acids essential for the human body, the product can be included in a special cheese diet, which helps to acquire the desired parameters in a short time.
These substances are dominated by:
- Lysine is a building material for the formation of a protein structure, without which the assimilation of calcium and the production of collagen are impossible.
- Tryptophan - thanks to it, the synthesis of niacin is carried out and appetite is controlled, the formation of the fat layer decreases.
- Methionine - prevents the development of atherosclerosis, has a beneficial effect on the quality of skin and hair.
Since the heat treatment of milk in the production of a fermented milk product is not carried out, the beneficial substances in the composition are preserved in full, lactic acid bacteria increase the positive effect on the human body.
Eating 50 g of Betmal cheese has the same effect as 0.5 liters of fresh milk.
See the composition and calorie content of Conte cheese
Useful properties of Betmal cheese
This variety does not have a medicinal effect, but regular use allows you to maintain tone and minimize the negative influence of external factors.
Benefits of Betmal cheese:
- Improves bowel function, creates favorable conditions for the development of lactic acid bacteria, facilitates the digestion of food.
- Improves the absorption of vitamins and minerals that enter the body along with cheese.
- Strengthens bone strength and increases the production of synovial fluid.
- Stimulates collagen production and stops the rate at which age-related changes appear.
- Normalizes the functioning of the nervous system and impulse conduction, has a calming effect.
- Promotes the production of serotonin.
- Improves the condition of the visual system, prevents the development of cataracts.
- It has antimicrobial properties and inhibits the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Fatty acids reduce the aggressive effect of hydrochloric acid on the gastric mucosa.
- Stimulates the secretion of enzymes by the pancreas.
- Reduces the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood, promotes rapid dissolution.
If you are on a low-calorie diet, it is often very difficult to fall asleep. Before going to bed, stifling hunger with drinks is quite difficult, and foods with carbohydrates can reduce the efforts to lose weight to zero. A small piece of Betmal stops hunger and does not lead to weight gain. Falling asleep quickly has a positive effect on overall well-being, and helps women avoid early aging.
Contraindications and harm of Betmal cheese
There is no age limit for the introduction of this type of product into the diet. If no allergic reactions occur after consumption, you can safely eat. But overeating should be avoided - overuse leads to obesity.
The harm from Betmal cheese can manifest itself with intolerance to milk protein, with disruption of the cardiovascular system against the background of increased pressure and liver dysfunction. You should temporarily abandon this product or replace it with cottage cheese in case of exacerbation of peptic ulcer and high acidity.
Recipes with Betmal cheese
This variety can be used to make salads, baked goods, desserts and hot meals.
Recipes with Betmal cheese:
- Dessert with saffron mustard … The cheese is cut into squares, holes are squeezed out in each with a small jam spoon. Mix the cream, saffron and aromatic mustard, draw a pastry syringe and fill the cheese cubes. Decorate with liquid chocolate.
- Potatoes with cheese … A large white onion is chopped. Beat the egg with salt and grated nutmeg. Boil potatoes, knead with a fork in mashed potatoes, adding a little water. Mix onion and egg mixture with mashed potatoes, form cutlets. Fry each on 2 sides in a frying pan, preheat the oven to 180 ° C, spread on a baking sheet, and on each - a small piece of Betmal. Once the cheese is melted, you can take it out.
- Egg Cheese Casserole … Beat 5 eggs with a pinch of salt, add cubes of fleshy tomato, Provencal herbs and small slices of bacon there. Mix well. A piece of Betmal, about 200 g, is divided into 2 parts. Half is grated, and the second is cut into large slices and sent to eggs and tomatoes. Warm up the brazier, grease with butter and put the mixture in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes - temperature 180 ° C. They take it out, pour grated cheese on the surface, put it back to bake. As soon as a golden brown crust appears, you can lay out on plates. Large pieces of cheese do not melt, they do not even have time to heat up. But on top, on the casserole, a ruddy crust will appear.
- Fondue … The white baguette is cut into square pieces and dried in the oven. You do not need to overcook it, it is enough for a "ruddy barrel" to appear on one side. If you have a fondue pot at home (a pot with legs, with a built-in gas burner), it's great, if not, a non-stick pan is enough. The inner surface of the container should be wiped with a clove of garlic cut in half. Preheat the pan, pour in 120 ml of white wine and 25 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice. When bubbles begin to appear, add 215 g of grated cheese each - Betmal and Emmental. It is better to choose varieties made from the same feedstock so that they melt at the same time. Leave to soften, stirring constantly. At the same time, 2 tbsp is dissolved in 110 ml of vodka. l. cornstarch, pour into the fondue and stir vigorously. Season with nutmeg and salt to taste. Serve hot.
- Fondue with onions … Add 1 more grade of cheese. Rub Betmal, Emmental and Gouda - the proportions can be chosen arbitrarily, but the total grated cheese should turn out to be 600 g. Caramelize in advance 4 shallots, cut into rings, in butter with a small amount of sugar. Beat 2 egg yolks with salt and nutmeg in a glass. Pour the cheese into a gastronomic container (a saucepan or fondue dish), stir with a wooden spatula, and when it starts to soften, add 50 g of flour. When everything is melted, add the onion first, stirring constantly, and then the whipped yolks. Bring to full homogeneity. Served with breadcrumbs.
See also recipes with Pecorino Sardo cheese.
Interesting facts about Betmal cheese
In France, about 80 types of cheese are made, among which there are little-known ones, to which the described variety belongs. According to legends, the recipe was adopted from the Moors, who conquered this area in the 9th century. Allegedly, the production process was spied on by a shepherd who was hiding in caves in the hope of saving his beloved, taken prisoner. It turned out that the beloved went herself, having betrayed and betrayed. They took revenge for the honor, and at the same time "borrowed" the recipe for a spicy fermented milk product.
The first documentary mentions of this variety were found in manuscripts dating from the XII century. It tells how the king of France himself, visiting the province (specifically the town of Saint-Giron), drew attention to the original taste of the product and expressed a desire that "Pyrenean cheese with cow's milk" was served during breakfast.
The name was changed frequently. At that time, the variety was presented as "Westat", in the 13th century it was offered at a cheese fair in Parmier as "fat cheese Saint-Guirons". But it only came into fashion in the 19th century. Then the area of manufacture expanded noticeably. The original recipe was adopted by the cheese makers of Lussac, Saint-Giron, Boussinard, Rogale and Saint-Lary.
Betmal is now considered a rare variety, although it is produced industrially. Only the owner of several farms in this province, Madame Sylvia Domaine, is engaged in manufacturing.
Heads made in large cheese factories are not popular. A slightly noticeable fruity-nutty flavor often appears after the introduction of artificial flavors. But when they make a homemade product, the desired bouquet is formed independently, especially from "summer" milk.
When traveling in France, you should definitely try Betmal cheese. Its taste is favorably set off by expensive wines - Madiran, Kaor, Pesharman. But you won't be able to bring a piece to your friends. The shelf life is short, it can be purchased only in private cheese dairies. Packing so that it can move the road will not work on its own. But as a souvenir, you can buy a set "Little betmal" (fr. Le petit bethmale). It includes 4 cheeses: young Betmal - with a pronounced nutty aftertaste; Eve - with a rich cheesy aroma with a noticeable fruity bouquet; goat - sour, melting in the mouth; Tom de Savoie is salty and savory. This set contains all the flavors of France.
Watch a video about Betmal cheese:
