Castelmagno

Characteristics

Tipology

Cheese of cow’s milk, if necessary with oat’s and ovine milk, half-fat, of raw dough, half-hard, sometimes aromatic.

Shape and Dimensions

Cilindric shape, with the official mark, diameter around 15-25 cm., 12 to 20 cm.tall, weighs 2 to 7 Kg. Red-brown rind, wrinkled and thick.

Looks of the dough

Pearl white or ivory; when seasoned, ochre, sometimes with some green veins. In freshly produced cheese moulds the dough is crumby, while in the seasoned ones it is more solid.

History

Castelmagno has got its name from a commune in the Grana valley, where this cheese was first named, about a question of use of some pastures in 1277. The judge sentenced that an annual amount of moulds of “formaggio di Castelmagno” should be paid to the Marquis of Saluzzo. Someone still tells that this cheese was very often on the table in front of Carlo Magno and the popes of Avignone.

Production technique

It is produced in any time of the year; it’s made of cow’s milk, if necessary with oat’s and ovine milk.

The milk is curdled at 35-38° C. with liquid rennet; the mixture,broken in pieces as big as hazelnuts, is then gathered and left maturing (getting acid) for maximum six days; it is then crumbled, salted and pressed.

The mould is then covered with salt; it needs two to five months of seasoning in fresh and humid natural caves.

Taste and smell

Intense e persistent flavours, such as the acid produced during the fermentation, dry mountain forage, and the fresh and humid seasoning caves. In the freshest moulds fermented milk is the strongest flavour. The typical taste of Castelmagno reminds of herbs, it’s sapid, persistent and in the seasoned mouldsit becomes strong and hot. It is crumby and finely granular.

How to eat it

Very good either alone or cooked (Gnocchi with Castelmagno).

Recommended wines

Barolo and Barbaresco.

Denomination

Official classification: Presidential decree; 16/12/1982

Denominazione di Origine Protetta: Reg. (CE) n° 1263 del 01/07/1996.