Mild
Sweet Provolone Valpadana DOP is one of the variants of this stretched curd cheese: let's discover its taste and characteristics
Sweet Provolone Valpadana is one of the two variants of this Italian cheese, also available in this type spicy cheese.
The Sweet Provolone Valpadana it is mainly produced in Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia Romagna and Trentino Alto Adige, through a process of processing cow's milk which includes the stretching and maturing phases.
Reason why it chef of Gambero Rosso, Luca Ogliotti, decided to make Provolone Valpadana is the protagonist of the forty recipes present in the “A cheese of weight” recipe book. The name is not a coincidence at all: the depth is not only culinary, but also characterological. Provolone Valpadana lends itself to any type of course, from appetizers to main courses: here are the ones Gambero Rosso pairings which we are proud to present to you.
Production is therefore confined to a part of northern Italy, while its diffusion and consumption are global.
The processing
It all begins when the milk is coagulated, in the case of sweet Provolone Valpadana, with calf rennet where the presence of a percentage of lamb and/or kid is allowed.
The curd is then placed on special tables to reach the right PH spinning, followed by hardening and salting.
The seasoning
At the end of the brine period, the tying takes place, a tradition with very ancient origins.
It begins with placing the shapes in the warehouse maturation period. For the sweet variant of Provolone Valpadana the duration is never less than 10 days but can be extended up to 60/90 days. However, it is a shorter seasoning than that which the spicy version must undergo, which can last over 12 months.
At the end of the process, the sweet Provolone Valpadana will have a straw-coloured, hard and thin rind. The interior will instead be lighter in color and more compact.
The pairings
The "sweet" type easily adapts to different types of preparation, both as a base and as an enrichment.
There are many pairings to experience, as well as the recipes.
Even if the production area is relatively narrow, consumers of this cheese have a much broader base: it is in fact widely marketed both in Italy and more generally abroad.
Provolone Valpadana DOP is an important testimony of Italian gastronomic excellence throughout the world
In 1975, a Protection Consortium was established to protect the quality of the cheese and its production process, as well as to implement initiatives aimed at promoting the brand.
The Consortium carries out its activities both to protect sweet and spicy Provolone Valpadana, in the shapes and sizes recognized as standard by the Consortium itself.
