Gorgonzola

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Among the fragrant blue cheeses dotted with mold, Gorogonzola is what protects the Italian taste and gives it one of the first places. Gorgonzola is probably the most famous Italian blue cheese, made only from cow's or goat's milk, and in some cases from a mixture of both.

Gorgonzola is a soft and crumbly cheese with mold, with 48% fat content and a controlled designation of origin. It originates from the Italian region of Lombardy, where it was initially neglected, but later highly valued. It has been produced for nearly 900 years.

Characteristic of Gorgonzola is the specific, thick, reddish bark, interestingly streaked with gray spots of mold. If you cut the bark, you will find a whitish white to light yellow soft and crumbly inside, cut by green-blue "hollows" with noble mold.

The taste of Gorgonzola is markedly spicy and with sweet notes, as well as its aroma. They are due to the blue mold, which penetrates everywhere and the rich flora on the surface.

History of Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is named after the town of the same name in northern Italy, in Lombardy. Strakino cheese was once produced in this area from the milk of cows passing through and to the Como and Bergamo districts. There are various stories and legends about the first created Gorgonzola cheese and its true origin. The version that until the beginning of the 20th century no one paid much attention to this fragrant and tasty dairy product is considered credible.

To the locals, this cheese was known simply as stracchino verde (green cheese). It was known to be made from the milk of cows tired of their long spring and autumn hikes to and from alpine pastures. Gradually, however, the fame of the cheese spread and he was given what he deserved. There was a need to find a suitable name for the product and quite prosaically it won the name Gorgonzola - one of the many villages where fragrant cheese was made.

Types of Gorgonzola

There are several types Gorgonzola, which start from the three main ones - Gorgonzola - Dolce (sweet) and Naturale or Picante (with a stronger and more spicy taste). While Gorgonzola Dolce has an oily texture and has a soft and sweet taste, wrapped in moist, brittle rind and aged for 60 days, Gorgonzola Picante is a more mature cheese, noticeably firmer and crumbly, with a thinner and drier rind and more sharp taste and aroma. Picante matures between 90 and 100 days.

Gorgonzola due paste (Gorgonzola due paste) is extremely rare today because it is an incredible delicacy that matures for more than 1 year. Understandably, it is characterized by a very strong, spicy taste, and is a favorite of connoisseurs of this type of cheese.

Under the name Gorgonzola una pasta (Gorgonzola una pasta) is a cheese made in the factory. Gorgonzola Dolcelatte is another type of young, soft, creamy cheese with a sweet taste, which is made in the region of Pavia. The gondola is a Danish version of the gorgonzola.

Composition of Gorgonzola

In 100 g of cheese Gorgonzola contains fat - 27-31 g., protein - 19 g., lipids - 26 g., phosphorus - 360 mg., calcium - 420 mg., sodium - 780 mg., cholesterol - 88 mg.; In the same weight of delicious cheese there are significant 370 Kcal.

Production of Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola today it is one of the most popular cheeses with mold, which is why it is produced in large factories throughout northeastern Italy. As a rule, this dairy delicacy is made from cow's milk and is a classic creamy blue cheese.

There is an addition of enzymes to the milk and the noble molds Penicillium glaucum and Penicillium roqueforti. According to the technology, the spores are introduced into the young cheese by means of metal rods. These rods create air channels, as a result of which the cheese has characteristic green veins when cut. Usually Gorgonzola matures from 2 to 4 months.

Gorgonzola, which is made from goat's milk, is significantly harder and saltier. This type of cheese is typical of the Prealpi region of Piedmont and Lombardy, in the region of Lecco and Alessandria.

Gorgonzola is produced in cylindrical combs that weigh between 6 and 13 kg and mature for about 2 months. It is characterized by a thick and hard crust having a reddish-gray color. The white to pale yellow interior is variegated with blue-green veins.

The current production of Gorgonzola requires the cheese to be drilled so that the penicillin bacteria can penetrate deep into the veins. It is also important to note that the bark of the Gorgonzola is washed with brine.

Culinary use of Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola and its rich aroma are an excellent wine company - especially red and thick. If there are fresh slices of fruit nearby, such as pears and figs, enjoyment for the palate and senses is guaranteed. Gorgonzola is used primarily as a dessert cheese.

It is often added to various types of pasta, risotto, polenta and others. dishes. The salad with the addition of this aromatic cheese will enchant you, and no less delicious are the sauces and dressings, which have the honor to enrich their aroma with Gorgonzola. You can spread crispy French baguette with a little oil and add a slice of Gorgonzola. In this situation, the taste of the cheese will fit perfectly some of the many types of fruit beers.