CACIOCAVALLO CHEESE

Caciocavallo is southern Italy traditional stretched-curd cheese. It is made with cow’s milk and the addition of just salt and lamb or kid rennet. The origin of the milk used for this Caciocavallo is Italian. The Caciocavallo is aged by hanging it on a beam, usually made of wood. It is precisely this phase that gives Caciocavallo the unique features that make it recognisable everywhere: name and shape. The last one, in fact, is the result of the modelling of the cheese paste into the shape of a figure eight: so two round bodies are formed, joined by a bottleneck at the point of leaning on the beam during the aging process.

It is characterised by a mild, delicate and moderately savoury taste and an aromatic smell of fresh milk. It has a thin, hard, straw-yellow rind, which tends to be darker if the cheese is more aged. It is a cheese rich in protein, phosphorus, calcium, lipids and vitamin B2, with a rather low percentage of lactose.

How to enjoy it

Caciocavallo is a very versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in many different ways. Some prefer it simply diced for an aperitif, accompanied by cold meats, fresh bread or taralli. Alternatively, thinly sliced, it is perfect for a sandwich. It is also delicious when melted in the oven or in a frying pan, allowing its unique fragrance to be released and its texture to melt in your mouth. If you choose to bake it in the oven, it is also excellent prepared on its own by cutting it into slices and baking it in a terrine or by adding ingredients that can enhance its flavour and create a unique recipe; for example as baked Caciocavallo with broad beans and prosciutto. Caciocavallo is also a perfect cheese if you want to make a pasta or vegetable recipes in the oven or for meat rolls. It is also a great option for a pizza!

The perfect combination

Caciocavallo is a traditional cheese from the south of Italy and therefore goes perfectly with wines from the same production areas. This allows you to create a combination of aromas and flavours typical of the south. We recommend enjoying it with a glass of fresh white wine with fruity and citrus scents such as Grillo or with a wine with a balanced flavour with notes of dried fruit such as Fiano di Avellino DOCG.

Historical notes

The origin of Caciocavallo is rather mysterious and full of different theories. The most widespread theory, is that the name of this cheese comes from the way it is aged. Other theories, however, claim that the caciocavallo takes its name from the Kingdom of Naples, where it was usual to brand the cheese with the coat of arms of a horse. Others say that the name comes from the fact that in the past it was hung on the backs of horses that carried it to the market where it was sold. There are also various accounts of its origins. It is thought to have been brought by the Ottomans who, likewise, received it from the Jews in 1500. There is much mystery surrounding the events that brought the caciocavallo to Italy. In any case, today the caciocavallo is an integral part of the Italian culinary tradition of southern Italy, in fact there are several kind of Caciocavallo. We can find the famous Caciocavallo Podolico, which takes its name from the breed of cows that produce its milk, or Caciocavallo Silano DOP, Caciocavallo Ciminà and many others.