Pasteurised Depends on cow variety Aging time At least 4 months | Source of milk Cattle Texture Semi-hard | |
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Certification Provolone Valpadana:D.O.: 9 April 1963PDO: 21 June 1996Provolone del Monaco:PDO: 11 February 2010 Similar Cheese, Mozzarella, Cheddar cheese, Parmigiano‑Reggiano, Gorgonzola | ||
Making provolone cheese in sorrento
Provolone ([provoˈloːne]) is an Italian cheese that originated in Casilli near Vesuvius, where it is still produced in pear, sausage, or cone shapes varying from 10 to 15 centimetres (4 to 6 inches) long. Provolone-type cheeses are also produced in other countries. The most important provolone production region is Northwestern Italy. Provolone, provola, and provoleta are versions of the same basic cheese. Some versions of provolone are smoked.
Contents
- Making provolone cheese in sorrento
- Baked provolone with tomato sauce basil oregano easy provolone cheese appetizer recipe
- History and varieties
- References
Baked provolone with tomato sauce basil oregano easy provolone cheese appetizer recipe
History and varieties
The term provolone (meaning large provola) appeared around the end of the 19th century, when it started to be manufactured in the southern regions of Italy and assumed its current large size. The smaller sized variant is called provola [ˈprɔːvola] and comes in plain and smoked ("affumicata") varieties.
Modern provolone is a full-fat cow's milk cheese with a smooth skin, produced mainly in the Po River Valley regions of Lombardia and Veneto. It is produced in different shapes: like a very large sausage which may be up to 30 cm (1 ft) in diameter and 90 cm (3 ft) long, in a truncated bottle shape, and in a large pear shape with the characteristic round knob for hanging. The typical weight is 5 kg (11 lb).
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese with taste varying greatly from provolone piccante (sharp/piquant), aged for a minimum of four months and with a very sharp taste, to provolone dolce (sweet) with a very mild taste. In provolone piccante, the distinctive piquant taste is produced with lipase (enzyme) derived from goat. The Dolce version uses calf's lipase instead.
Both provolone valpadana and provolone del Monaco (from the Naples area of Italy) have received the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) seal from the European Community.
In Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, small discs of locally produced pulled-curd provolone of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in diameter and 1 to 2 cm (1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in) in height are sometimes grilled until partially melted and eaten as a starter, often seasoned with herbs. The cheese when served this way is often called provoleta in Spanish.
Provolone is also produced in the United States. It finds many uses, including on pizzas and on sandwiches; in particular, the Philly cheesesteak is historically made with provolone.