Run Date: June 3, 2009
By Stacey Adams-Zier
Formaggio is the Italian word for cheese but Romans often refer to their cheese as cacio [kah-chee-oh], an ancient term rarely used anywhere else but in Rome. Everywhere around the city I discovered little cheese shops tucked away in alleys or outside in the tented mercato at Campo dei Fiori selling the rustic cheeses of the Lazio region of Italy.
One shop in particular, Micocci-Caca dei Latticini, on the northwest side of Piazza Sallustio, is probably the best place in Rome to discover Italian curds and whey. Best to brush up on your cheese knowledge and Italian language before arriving at this cheeseshop as the proprietors aren’t exactly warm and fuzzy; but what they lack in personality they make up for in their knowledge and care of their cheeses.
“Vorrei un etto di formaggio di capra,” I asked him as he proceeded to slice a small wedge of aged goat cheese. I selected a few more to round out a nice cheese course for after dinner. I’m not big on desserts here, for me, it’s cheese and a little more red wine. The Romans have a saying, “La boca l’e minga straca se la spuza de vaca” or “the mouth cannot be finished until it smells of cows.”
One of my favorite cow’s milk cheeses is Caciocavallo which comes young, aged, smoked, studded with pepperoncino (red pepper flakes) or washed in red wine.
Caciocavallo is made in the northern region of Lazio and is sold in pairs linked by a small piece of twine that resemble small saddlebags. Despite its name, which literally means “horse cheese”, there is nothing equine about it. It’s shaped this way to pay homage to what is believed to be the first cheese ever made. A legendary story has it that cheese was ‘discovered’ by an unknown Arabian nomad who filled his saddlebags with milk to sustain him on his long journey across the desert. After several hours of riding, he opened hi s saddlebags to quench his thirst, only to find that the milk had separated into a lumpy white mixture. Because the saddlebag was made from natural animal sources, it provided the rennet necessary to curd the milk in the hot sun and with a little agitation from the galloping motion of the horse, the curds separated from the liquid whey. Interestingly enough, it’s not far from modern methods of cheesemaking.
Caciocavallo tastes similar to a young Parmigiano-Reggiano but with a much softer rind. When young the cheese is usually slightly salty and smooth; but with age it becomes sharp and perfect for grating. The best Caciocavallo I had in Rome was served heated in a pan of olive oil with a scattering of herbs on top. I couldn’t resist ordering a side of sautéed fresh porcini mushrooms and with a plate of toasted Roman bread, I was in rich, gooey cheese heaven. Caciocavalla was awarded D.O.P. status in 1993 and can now be found in specialty shops in the U.S.
Truly the most popular cheese produced in the Lazio region is pecorino romano, a salty, hard cheese made exclusively with sheep’s milk between the months of October and July and ripened in ancient natural tufa caves dating back to the Etruscan-Roman times. It comes shaped in large drums about 10-14 inches in diameter and weighs between 55 and 75 pounds. Look for the label printed with the name “R Brunelli,” but it’s also sold under the Tiberio brand. The outer rind is covered in a black wax and is always marked with the words “Pecorino Romano DOC” or “Pecorino Romano DOP.” It’s aged between 8 and 12 months and typically used as a grating cheese. Take care in dosing though, as its semi-sharp, sheepy taste can be very different from the sweet, creamy, smooth Parmigiano-Reggiano you’re used to. If you can find a younger wheel, around 5 months, chunk it up on the cheeseboard and serve it accompanied by fruits or vegetables, especially pears and fresh fava beans.
Even though ricotta is made all over Italy, Roman ricotta is hailed as the best and the sweetest. Rome’s ricotta di pecora (also known as ricotta romana) is famous throughout all of Italy and although some of it is exported abroad, most of it is sold within the internal market structure of Italy. It’s made exclusively from the re-cooked whey of sheep’s milk from the Lazio region. After the whole sheep’s milk is heated or cooked the first time and coagulated with rennet, it separates into curds and whey. They curds are formed into molds to form Italy’s prize cheese, pecorino romano. The whey is then reheated to a higher temperature and the proteins cause it to coagulate again into tiny clots. When drained, cooled and stirred they form ricotta. The ricotta is scooped into white baskets (fuscelles) giving it its characteristic interlaced pattern when it’s unmolded. The leftover whey from the second heating is fed to pigs, which might explain why fresh pork in Italy tastes so much richer than that found here in the United States. I love to make ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms, which are so plentiful at the markets this time of year. The rich, full-bodied flavor has a slight tart finish making it perfect for both savory and sweet dishes.
Volpetti is Rome’s most famous deli located in the Testaccio area and a requirement to visit if you are a foodie. The counters groan under the weight of all the cheeses and salumi which brothers, Emilio and Claudio are all too willing to sample. The Mozzarella di Bufala Affumicata e Prosciutto Cotton is like the best carnival food I’ve ever eaten. A chunk of Bufala Mozzarella wrapped in Prosciutto then deep fried in tempura batter and served on a stick. Simply devine.
So, for the next two weeks I plan to do as the Romans do: shop the markets every morning, drink plenty of great red wine and always end my meals with cacio.
By Line: Stacey Adams-Zier is the Chef/Owner and Fromager of Tastings Gourmet Market and Artisanal Cheese Center located in Clock Tower Place, Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at 410.263.1324 or by visiting their website at http://www.TastingsGourmetMarket.com
