PROVOLONE VALPADANA PDO
STRONG
The strong version is the second main type of Provolone Valpadana. In this case, the rennet is goat and/or lamb and ageing goes from a minimum of 3 months to over a year.
How it is made
The curd is placed on special tables to reach the right stretching PH. It is then modelled and placed in special moulds to cool in icy water and then it is put in brine for salting. Then begins the ageing that goes from a minimum of 90 days to 12 months and beyond.
How to recognize it
On the outside it has a brownish yellow colour, with a hard and thin rind and an inside which is noticeably flaky. The more traditional shapes are flask, tapered trunk, salami and melon-pear, typically in larger sizes that facilitate the right chemical-physical characteristics to cope with the ageing process. The taste is sharp and the aroma is extremely intense.
How it is used
Other than appreciating it as it is, as an unfailing protagonist on the table or on the cheese trolley of the best international restaurants, it is also an excellent ingredient to combine with more delicate flavours in the kitchen, in order to obtain an overall balanced taste.