Caprino (cheese)
Encyclopedia
Caprino is an Italian
cheese
traditionally made from whole or skim goat's milk. The name of the cheese derives from the Italian word for goat, capra. With modern methods of production the cheese is made from cow's milk as well or a combination of both cow's milk and goat's milk. The two major styles of caprino are fresco (fresh) and stagionato (seasoned).
-based starter culture to whole or part-skim raw milk. The milk is then heated to promote coagulation that takes place within 24 hours. Once the coagulation occurs, the curd is removed to a mold without milling. The molds sit for a period of 24 hours for the whey to drain out completely. The cheese is then salted and turned a number of times and then allowed to age depending on product desired. Versions include those aged for 30 days or longer, and those seasoned with parsley, garlic, chives and ground pepper.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
traditionally made from whole or skim goat's milk. The name of the cheese derives from the Italian word for goat, capra. With modern methods of production the cheese is made from cow's milk as well or a combination of both cow's milk and goat's milk. The two major styles of caprino are fresco (fresh) and stagionato (seasoned).
Production
The cheese begins production by-way-of adding a wheyWhey
Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...
-based starter culture to whole or part-skim raw milk. The milk is then heated to promote coagulation that takes place within 24 hours. Once the coagulation occurs, the curd is removed to a mold without milling. The molds sit for a period of 24 hours for the whey to drain out completely. The cheese is then salted and turned a number of times and then allowed to age depending on product desired. Versions include those aged for 30 days or longer, and those seasoned with parsley, garlic, chives and ground pepper.
Caprino Fresco (Fresh Caprino)
A fresh version of caprino that is aged for three-four days and has a soft creamy texture. The cheese usually has a round or cylindrical shape. It is often sold wrapped in paper or immersed in olive oil especially when shipped for preservation.Caprino Stagionato (Seasoned Caprino)
Often aged at least 20-40 days or longer depending on the region, which gives the cheese a saltier and tangy flavor. The shape is small and square or marshmallow shaped. The rind is often thin and yellow or reddish in color.Variations
- Caprino di Rimella - Usually made entirely of raw goat's milk but sometimes with cow's milk with the curd produced with cow or lamb rennetRennetRennet is a complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother's milk, and is often used in the production of cheese. Rennet contains many enzymes, including a proteolytic enzyme that coagulates the milk, causing it to separate into solids and liquid...
which is heated to 18-20 °C, after the milk has soured. The curd is then shaped by hand and drained on hemp cloth for three days. After three days the cheese is dry-salted and ready for eating. The cheese is usually brownish white in color. Produced in PiedmontPiedmontPiedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
in ValsesiaValsesiaValsesia is a group of valleys in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Vercelli, Italy; the principal valley is that of the river Sesia.The major cities are Varallo Sesia, Borgosesia, Serravalle Sesia; important touristic villages include Alagna Valsesia, Rima, Carcoforo, Scopello.-External...
and the municipality of RimellaRimellaRimella is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 70 km northwest of Vercelli...
.
- Caprino Ossolano - Made entirely of raw goat's milk, this cheese has re-emerged after years of non-production and is now included in the Ark of TasteArk of TasteThe Ark of Taste is an international catalogue of heritage foods in danger of extinction which is maintained by the global Slow Food movement. The Ark is designed to preserve at-risk foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distinct ecoregion...
catalogue of heritage foods. It is produced from March to October. After the milk has soured and has been heated to 18 °C, rennet from kid's (young goat) or lamb is added to create a curd. The curd is then placed in a mold and dry-salted while the whey is drained out. The cheese is aged for three days. It has a soft, firm texture and is cream-white in color. The rind often has a straw-yellow color. The cheese is specifically produced in PiedmontPiedmontPiedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
in DomodossolaDomodossolaDomodossola is a city and comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy...
, VarzoVarzoVarzo is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 130 km northeast of Turin and about 35 km northwest of Verbania, on the border with Switzerland...
and Val Vigezzo.
- Caprino di Cavalese - Made from goat's milk produced in the CavaleseCavaleseCavalese is a comune of 3,665 inhabitants in Trentino, northern Italy, a ski resort and the main center in the Val di Fiemme.The cable car from Cavalese to the nearby mountain Cermis has been the site of two major cable-car accidents, one in 1976 and one in 1998 Cavalese is a comune of 3,665...
valley, this cheese was once produced throughout Val di FiemmeVal di Fiemmethumb|300px|Location of the Fiemme Valley in [[Trentino]].thumb|300px|The [[Lagorai]] seen from [[Passo Lusia]].Fiemme Valley is a valley in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in northern Italy located in the Dolomites mountain region....
. The milk is heated to 31 °C after which calf or lamb's rennet is added to begin curd production. The resulting soft curd is cut into small pieces which are again heated to 44 °C. The curd is then placed in a mold and dry-salted. They are salted until they can no longer absorb anymore salt. The result is then aged in an earth or stone-floored cellar. During the aging process the cheese is turned once a week and is washed with a brine solution. The resulting cheese has a thin rind which is reddish-yellow in color and the cheese itself is ivory-white in color. It is produced in Trentino in the area of CavaleseCavaleseCavalese is a comune of 3,665 inhabitants in Trentino, northern Italy, a ski resort and the main center in the Val di Fiemme.The cable car from Cavalese to the nearby mountain Cermis has been the site of two major cable-car accidents, one in 1976 and one in 1998 Cavalese is a comune of 3,665...
and Fiavé Pinzolo.
- Caprino della Valbrevenna - This version is produced from September to October from goat's milk. Milk enzymes are added to the goat's milk for souring and then it is heated to 20-25 °C after which some producers add a bit of whey from earlier productions. After a few hours calf's rennet is added to form a curd which takes about 12-16 hours. The curd is then cut into large pieces and placed into molds. A large amount of whey is expelled from this version so as whey is released, more curd is often used to top off molds. It is usually produced as a fresh cheese but can be aged sometimes for up to thirty days. In its fresh state it has no rind but develops a yellowish rind when aged. The cheese itself is soft and milk-white. It is produced in LiguriaLiguriaLiguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
in the municipalities of TrioraTrioraTriora is an elite member of I Borghi Piú Belli d'Italia, a list of the top 100 most beautiful medieval citadels in Italy. It is also a member of Touring Club Italia Bandiere Arancioni, a similarly prestigious club which lists the best places for tourists to enjoy...
, Molini di TrioraMolini di TrioraMolini di Triora is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 100 km southwest of Genoa and about 25 km northwest of Imperia...
and Cosio di ArrosciaCosio di ArrosciaCosio di Arroscia is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 100 km southwest of Genoa and about 25 km northwest of Imperia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 283 and an area of 40.6 km²...
in the province of ImperiaImperiaImperia may be:* Imperia , an Italian city* Province of Imperia, the Italian province of the above city of Imperia* IMPERIA, a vodka produced by Russian Standard* Imperia , a statue in Constance, Germany...
, and OrmeaOrmeaOrmea is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km south of Turin and about 40 km southeast of Cuneo...
in the province of CuneoCuneoCuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
.
- Caprino dell'Aspromonte - Made from goat's milk that has kid's rennet added to it and then heated to 36-37 °C. Once the curd forms it is cut with a special knife called a ruotolo into pieces the size of a piece of rice. The resulting curd is strained and then placed into rush baskets and pressed by hand and it is allowed to set for a few hours after which it is dry-salted and then allowed to mature on a rush rack (cannizzo). It is aged for a time to create either a soft table cheese or longer to create a mature hard cheese with a grey-brown rind and an ivory-white to brownish color to the cheese itself. It is produced in CalabriaCalabriaCalabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
in the AspromonteAspromonteAspromonte is a mountain massif in the province of Reggio Calabria . The name means "rough mountains", so named by the farmers who found its steep terrain and rocky soil difficult to cultivate. It overlooks the Strait of Messina, being limited by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas and by the Pietrace...
area of the province of Reggio CalabriaReggio CalabriaReggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
.
- Caprino della Limina - Made from goat's milk with kid's rennet added to it and is left to sit for one hour. Once the curd forms, it is stirred with a wooden spoon to break it up. The curd is then placed in rush baskets and pressed to remove excess whey. The cheese is removed from the mold and salted and placed back into the mold for a day and then removed and aged in a cellar. The rind is brushed with olive oilOlive oilOlive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
as it ages up to twelve months. The rind is straw-yellow in color and has soft milk-white flesh that hardens as it ages past the third to fourth month. It is produced in CalabriaCalabriaCalabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
in municipalities found in mountain communities in LiminaLiminaLimina is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 35 km southwest of Messina...
.
- Caprino di Montefalcone del Sannio - Made from raw goat's milk cheese during the months of April to September. Kid's rennet is added to the milk which is then heated to 38 °C for thirty minutes. The resulting curd is cut into small pieces which then settles and is reheated to 42 °C. Once the curd solidifies it is placed into rush baskets and pressed which is then placed into hot whey from ricottaRicottaRicotta is an Italian dairy product made from sheep milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Although typically referred to as ricotta cheese, ricotta is not properly a cheese because it is not produced by coagulation of casein...
production. The cheese is then dry-salted for twenty-four hours and then aged for at least two months in a cellar where they are hung from the ceiling in wooden holders called cascere. The resulting cheese has a wrinkled straw-yellow rind with a soft, moist, chalk-white flesh. It is produced throughout AbruzzoAbruzzoAbruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
and MoliseMoliseMolise is a region of Southern Italy, the second smallest of the regions. It was formerly part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise and now a separate entity...
but particularly in the municipality of Montefalcone del Sannio.