The word "Caciotta" (Caciotta) in Italy They call a whole group of semi-soft cheeses that are made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep and buffalo. It comes from the Tuscan "Kachol" and in translation means "cheese", which is explained by the small size of the heads.
The History of Cacotta Cheese
Cacotta production began in the 9th century and covered the northern and southern parts of the Apennine Peninsula (Italy). This type of cheese quickly gained popularity among shepherds, nomads and military personnel. The small head of the cacotta was used as a food item for long trips. Moreover, its main advantage was a short ripening period (not more than 1 month).
Caccotta is a cheese that has been produced for many years in such regions of Italy as Umbria and Tuscany. Here it is made from
sheep’s milk (Caciotta Romana) and sheep’s with the addition of cow’s milk (Caciotta Toscana).
Description and taste
Cacotta cheese has the form of cylindrical heads of different sizes and weighing from 1 to 8 kg. The average weight is 700-1200 grams. The traditional head is 20 cm high and about 8 cm in diameter.
Caccotta is a yellow cheese with a white edge, with a soft texture and a moderate aroma. Its taste depends on the exposure time.
Young Caccotta - cheese with a delicate sweet touch and a light nutty flavor. Leaves a pleasant aftertaste. The longer the exposure time, the more piquant the taste of cheese and the richer the color becomes.
Nutritional value and calorie content
Italian cacotta is not just tasty and healthy cheese. Unlike most other varieties, it is also less caloric. 100 grams of kachotta contains only 228 kcal. All nutrients, and especially proteins contained in cheese, are absorbed by the body by 99%. It is especially important that calcium and phosphorus in it are in the optimal ratio.
Caccotta is a cheese that has no carbohydrates at all. That is why it is often included in effective diets. At the same time, the nutritional value of cheese is quite high. The amount of protein in cheese reaches 16 g, and fat - 18 g per 100 g of total weight. In percentage terms, this is 24% of the daily norm.
Milk selection
Italian cheese dairies prepare caccotta from different types of milk: cow, sheep, goat, and in former times even buffalo. Sometimes it is mixed, and then completely new cheeses are obtained. A delicious cacotta is made from sheep's milk with the addition of cow's milk (not more than 30% of the volume).
For the preparation of
cheese at home , cow milk is most often used. But first it needs to be cleaned, that is, pasteurized. This is a prerequisite for homemade milk. If you buy milk in a store, it is better to choose ultra-pasteurized, refined using the most modern technologies.
Cacotta cheese technology
The product is produced both in private cheese factories and in large factories. The technology remains unchanged and consists of several stages.
- Pasteurize milk for 15 seconds at a temperature of 75 degrees.
- Cooling milk to a temperature of 38 degrees. If this value is higher, then the bacteria contained in the starter culture will die.
- At the next stage, pure cultures are added to the prepared milk. This is a special thermophilic starter culture for Lactoferm cheese . It must be carefully mixed in milk and left for 40 minutes to activate the culture.
- After the specified time, rennet is introduced. Its activation time is 20 minutes. After this, a clot should form on the surface of the mass. Rennet, which is used at this stage, may be of animal origin or microbial Lactoferm.
Now the resulting clot must be cut twice, oxidized and salted. And only after that the final stage in cheese production will come - ripening.
Cheese cutting, oxidation and salting
The clot resulting from the activation of thermophilic culture and rennet is subjected to the first cutting. At this stage, the mass is cut into 4-6 cm squares, and then slowly mixed for 5 minutes.
Next, a second cutting is performed, while heating the kachotta to a temperature of no higher than 42 degrees. The grain size obtained at this stage is not more than 1 cm. Now the chopped cheese mass is laid out in special forms with holes for draining the whey. The size of the future head of cheese directly depends on the selected size of the form.
The next step is the oxidation of the kachotta. Forms with cheese are left for 4-6 hours in a room with a temperature of 36-38 degrees. At the same time, they must be periodically turned over and monitored for acidity (the normal value of the indicator should not exceed 5.25).
Further, the forms with cheese are placed in brine, where they are at a temperature of 15 degrees 10 hours. After the specified time, it is taken out and sent for maturation.
Cheese ripening process
The final stage in the production of Caccotta is ripening. The length of time after which semi-soft cheeses can be considered ready, or ripened, is from 15 to 45 days. It depends on the requirements of manufacturers or customers. The average ripening period is 30 days. If you cut it in 2 times, you get a young Caccotta, white and with a soft texture.
When ripening cheese, it is important to withstand temperature and humidity. Otherwise, the cacotta may not work. The air temperature in the room should be within 5-6 degrees with a humidity of 80-90%.
Cacotta cheese: a home-made recipe
Those cheeses, which are mostly sold in domestic stores, do not much resemble a real castotta. But there is still a way out. Cacotta cheese at home is very tasty, and it’s not difficult to cook it.
The cooking sequence includes several stages.
- Prepare all the ingredients: 10 liters of milk (ultra-pasteurized), 2 ampoules of calcium chloride, 10 ml each (available at the pharmacy), rennet, thermophilic sourdough for cheese (purchased in a specialized online store), salt.
- Heat the milk to a temperature of 38 degrees. Pour thermophilic yeast into it, mix gently and leave it under the lid for 40 minutes.
- After the specified time, dilute calcium chloride (1 ampoule) in 100 ml of warm water (40 degrees). In another bowl, dilute the rennet in water. Pour both starter cultures into milk and leave under the lid for 30 minutes.
- Cut the resulting clot into small squares and begin to slowly heat the mass to a temperature of 42 degrees.
- Now you need to drain the serum. To do this, put the curd in a special form for cheese with holes. Place a separate bowl for collecting serum under it.
- The next step is oxidation. Pour a little water at the bottom of the pan and heat it to a temperature of 60 degrees. From above put a plate upside down, and on it is a form with cheese. Cover the pan with a towel
- After 40 minutes, turn the cheese in the form. Then cover the pan again with a towel. Repeat the procedure 2 more times. Then put the cheese on dry cheesecloth, allow to dry and cool.
- At this time, prepare a solution for salting. To do this, add salt and the remaining ampoule of calcium chloride to the pan with water. Place the cacotta in the solution for 6 hours.
- After the specified time, remove the cheese from the brine, dry it and send it in the refrigerator for 2-6 weeks to ripen.
- Italian Cacotta at home is ready. Bon Appetit!