Top 4 Lucano Mixed Milk 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

Cacioricotta is a cross between a cheese and a fresh ricotta produced by combining two techniques of cheese-making. It is both cacio, meaning cheese, and ricotta, meaning recooked, because it is made by bringing fresh milk almost to the boil, then adding the rennet later, when the milk cools and achieves the temperature of coagulation. Made with a mixture of goat and sheep milk, cacioricotta is produced throughout the region of Basilicata. It can be consumed fresh, after 2 or 3 days of drying, or left to mature for up to 4 months. The fresh version pairs nicely with jams and fruity white wines, while the aged version is usually served as a table cheese or grated over local pasta dishes. Suggested wine pairings are Aglianico or Gioia del Colle Primitivo.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