Caciocavallo di grotta is a stretched curd cheese among the oldest and most typical of Southern Italy, known since the times of Magna Graecia. It’s a stretched curd cheese matured for a long period in caves, as tradition dictates, where it remains naturally covered with noble molds throughout its maturation, giving it an intense, balanced and structured aromatic profile.
It has a spheroidal appearance, yellow in color, with a hard and thin crust. Inside the paste is straw-colored, semi-hard and homogeneous to the touch, with fine and sparse “eyes”. The most common size is about 2 kg but a form can weigh up to 10 kg. In the mouth it is savory and slightly spicy at the same time, with hints of cooked butter and with good persistence.
To produce the caciocavallo aged in the cave, they start with whole cow’s milk which, at a temperature of 36-38°, is inoculated with whey starter and then with rennet.
They then proceed to spinning, the most delicate moment of production. Spinning is done by stretching the dough in a manual artisanal process that is characteristic and includes the formation of the head of the caciocavallo, which is generally also a way in which each cheesemaker signs his creation. Finally, salting is carried out in a brine solution in which the forms float for a few days depending on their size.
After an initial drying of about 20 days, which can take place in traditional cool rooms, the forms are hung in pairs astride beams in the traditional tuff caves. Here they are aged for at least 45-60 days. Humidity varies between 80 and 90% while the almost constant temperature between the winter and summer periods, varies between 10 and 15 °C. If not aged for long, the caciocavallo aged in a cave has a delicate milky scent; as the maturation continues, the smell of grass and hay becomes more pronounced. When tasted, especially as the maturation continues, all the organoleptic characteristics come out: hints of cut grass, bitter flowers, vanilla and spices and sometimes slightly spicy.
Try it first of all on its own or with bread and vegetables, to best enjoy all the nuances of its aroma. It is also excellent for seasoning pasta, for flavouring the filling of savory pies but also to melt together with the hamburger in tasty sandwiches.
Take our week tour to visit a local cheese producer and taste the famous Caciocavallo.