Top 4 Lucano Hard Cheeses

Produced in the region of Basilicata, Canestrato di Moliterno is made from whole goat's and sheep's milk. It is matured in the so-called fondaci, a type of dry, cold, but well-ventilated semi-underground warehouse typical for the Moliterno area. Depending on the length of maturation, this hard Italian cheese can be either quite sweet or piquant in flavor, and it can be found marketed in three different varieties: Primitivo, ripened for up to 6 months; Stagionato, ripened for up to 12 months, and Stravecchio, ripened for over a year.Expand

Named after Filiano, a town settled in the province of Potenza in northern Basilicata, this variety of a semi-cooked hard cheese is made with fresh raw sheep milk obtained only from local breeds: Gentile di Puglia and Lucania, Leccese, Comisana, Sarda and their crosses. The production of this cheese peaks in spring and early summer, when the sheep are moved from the Ofanto river plains to highlands of the Vitalba valley where they can feed on the abundance of wild aromatic plants in the natural pastureland of the Apennines. Unique to Pecorino di Filiano is the method of pressing the curd into woven basket molds by hand, which results in a firm but soft-textured cheese. Early in the aging process, the wheels are washed with red wine vinegar and olive oil and then left to ripen in the Tufa caverns or other suitable underground chambers at a constant temperature of 12-14°C and a relative humidity of 70-85% for at least 180 days.Expand

Pecorino from the region of Basilicata is a hard cheese made with raw sheep milk. It is left to mature on wooden boards in a cool and dry area. The aging period is at least 2 months, but it can last up to a year, and the characteristical, slightly piquant flavor becomes much stronger as the cheese ripens. The mountainous region of Basilicata is also renowned for one special variant called Pecorino misto, made with both goat and sheep milk, and it ripens in underground caves. During the aging process, it develops a subtly spicy, pungent flavor that goes well with seasonal vegetables and fruity white wines, but Pecorino misto is also excellent on its own or served with a slice of bread.Expand

The mountain region of Basilicata is renowned for one special variant of pecorino cheese, called pecorino misto. As the name suggests (the word pecorino derives from the Italian word pecora, meaning sheep) pecorino is usually made with sheep milk, while for this version both goat and sheep milk are used. The cheese is then ripened in underground caves, and during that process, it develops a subtly spicy flavor that goes well with seasonal vegetables and fruity white wines, but pecorino misto is also excellent alone or served with a slice of hearty bread.Expand