There robiola it is a typical cheese of Northern Italyknown mainly for its creaminess and delicate flavor, to be used as if it were one stracchino or crescenza. In reality, the one we see in the supermarket is his more standard versionpractical and versatile, intended for the widest possible audience. In its most typologies far from the common imaginationrobiola actually has a varied universe of shapes, sizes, consistencies and flavors, depending on whether it is produced with cow’s, goat’s, sheep’s milk or a combination of these. These are dairy specialties from the north, often nicherooted above all in some areas of the Lombardy and of Piedmontwhere one also stands out Dopthat of Roccaverano.
Robiola cheeses are generally fatty cheeses to soft dough ea flowery rind (like that of brie and camembert) ed ediblefresh or shortly matured, to be enjoyed naturally cutting boards for an aperitif or end of the mealaccompanied by compotes and jams, to fill a sandwichor they lend themselves to being used as an ingredient in risottos And pastato give creaminess and a refined touch. Let’s discover the most famous Italian robiola and how match them at its best.
Roccaverano Dop, Piedmont
We start the tour withonly robiola made in Italy to have the Protected Designation of Originthat of Roccaveranothe most representative village of Langa Astigiana and which has just 368 inhabitants. Its popularity is mainly due to this cheese which is produced here all year round in a handful of municipalities in the provinces of Asti and of Alexandria. It is a specialty made according to a rigid disciplinarywho only wants it from 2023 100% raw goat’s milk of the Roccaverano, Camosciata Alpina breeds or their crosses: it can be fresh, refined (from the eleventh day it was put into the molds) or seasoned (for 3 or more months), it has a color ranging from white to ivory, with a barely noticeable or more present flowery rind, which becomes reddish with maturation. It is characterized by having a flattened cylindrical shape with a cracked surface, with discs ranging from 250 to 400 grams: his dough is softwith a fine, creamy grain, which becomes more compact with maturation, just as the delicate, vegetal and slightly acidic flavor gradually becomes more decisive. We are faced with a table cheese to accompany with honey or fruit compotesand with the typical sauces of the region, such as green sauce or the red bath. It is also used as a filling for stuffed pasta. The wine? It cannot be missed: choose a glass of Barbera or Grignolino d’Asti.
Robiola Bosina, Piedmont
Let’s stay inAlta Langato get to know another protagonist of the area, the Robiola Bosinawhich stands out for its square shape. It’s a cheese semi-mature (the maturation is at least 15 days) soft cheese, made with mixed cow’s and sheep’s milk from Roccaverano: on the outside it has an ivory white flowered rind, while once cut it hides an interior without holes, soft and with buttery heart. The taste is Sweetdelicate, with notes of hay on the palate. It is served at room temperature, so as to appreciate the creaminessproving to be an excellent robiola end of the mealwith dried fruit or fresh (like grapes), or with pleasantly spicy compotes, like la fig mustard.
Robiola from Cocconato, Piedmont
We’re in small mountain villagedefined as the “Monferrato Riviera” for its Mediterranean microclimate which makes it one of the most popular destinations for lovers of slow tourism. From the local cheesemakers who produce it as they did in the past, comes the Robiola di Cocconato (included within the PAT, the traditional agri-food products of Piedmont), perfect for enjoy in purityin accompaniment to bread And breadsticks“equally good in the fields or at the lords’ table” as the poet Nino Costa (1886-1945) sang, who dedicated some verses to her. It is achieved with pasteurized whole cow’s milkand is ready to be consumed fresh within five days of shaping: the appearance is round and flattenedof color white and without crust (it is thin at most if the robiola is more mature), while the texture is soft and creamier in the middle, with a lactic and slightly acidic flavour. It is said to be a cheese developed by peasant women more than 100 years ago.
Robiola d’Alba, Piedmont
We move in Lower Langain one of its most famous centers, the city of Sunrisewhich gives us the Robiola d’Albaproduced in dairies in the Cuneo areafalling between the PAT. The raw material is the whole cow’s milkraw or pasteurized: the structure is soft (we are always inside soft cheeses), but at the same time firm, crumbly and moist: introduces himself cylindrical shape with a diameter of 11-12 cm and 2 to 2.5 cm thick: it is usually freshwith optional seasoning, so as to have a white colourwhich can tend towards ivory when slightly matured, without rind or with a thin flowery rind. It tastes like fresh milk and yogurt, with a slightly herbaceous aroma. It is found naturallybut often it is also flavoured with the truffleThe chilithechives or the rocket. All are ideal as appetizersto give refinement to a cold cuts and cheese platter or in risottos: in particular, the enriched ones are even tastier if seasoned with a drizzle of oil. The wines? Focus on a fruity and elegant white like Roero Arneis.
Robiola from Val Bormida, Liguria
We move in Liguriawhere we meet one of the oldest sheep’s cheeses in the region. There Robiola from Val Bormidaan area that develops on the border of Piedmont, in the province of Savonabetween the Alps and the Apennines, is a PAT based on raw sheep’s milk: usually it is very fresh (can mature for up to 10-14 days), cylindrical or parallelepiped, pure white, with a creamy consistency and smaller dimensions compared to the previous ones. The crust is usually absent, while when it appears it can be defined as a wrinkled, straw-coloured layer of “skin”. How to make the most of this robiola dal delicate flavour? Combining it with cured meats And seasonal vegetableswhile choose the wine white and light, like the Piedmontese Gavi.
Robiola from Valsassina, Lombardy
From the Lombardy another comes PAT among the robiola, that of Valsassinain the province of Leccowhich gives a square cheese a little different from those just discussed, much more similar to Taleggio Dopeven if the processing and maturing times are different. Before being consumed, robiola must mature for 30 daysgenerally arrives even at 60in caves or cellars: this means that a pink rind or yellowish, called washed rind (then treated with a solution of water and salt) where the characteristics appear gray moldperfectly visible, while the soft paste inside will be soft and creamy, ivory in color. It is preparing to start from cow’s milkand is considered a semi-soft raw cheese, with a taste reminiscent of that intense of the aforementioned taleggio, but more subtle. Green light to cutting boardsin tandem with caramelized figs, aubergines in oilbut also as an ingredient for fondues in pasta and gnocchi dishes, in the company of nuts And speck.
Robiola Bresciana, Lombardy
Always in LombardyAlways PAT: here it is Robiola from Bresciaof which there is evidence already in mid-19th centurywidespread in Lower Bresciain Franciacortain the area of Lake Iseo and also in province of Bergamo. It is said dampsoel, shape it, rubiulina and in the renowned land of sparkling wines it can be found as strachì whiteto distinguish it from strachì vertor the gorgonzola. It is a dalla cheese square and rectangular shape which is divided into two variants: one from tender texturewhite in colour, without rind, with soft texture, while the other hard it is characterized by having a thin layer of yellow or reddish skin, with a crumbly texture that tends to give way over time, becoming more melting. Once upon a time, its production was at a family level, with the cow’s milk which was left over from the livestock farms scattered throughout the area, while now it is increasingly being transformed from a “humble” cheese reevaluating: try it in risottosespecially the autumn-based ones porcini mushrooms And pumpkin.
Ribiola della Bettola, Emilia Romagna
We conclude our tour in Emilia Romagnain a production area that particularly affects the province of Piacenzain the Apennine territories of Val Trebbia And Val Nurewhere it is classified among the PAT regional the so-called “Bettola ribiola” (or Ribiol), a cheese made with partially skimmed cow’s milk from the rising cream, semi-hard, semi-mature And semi-fat. The rind is rough, yellow in colour, regular, and the paste is straw-white, with holes present: it is used to end of the mealtraditionally with red wine local, such as the Gutturnio dei Colli Piacentini, but nothing prevents marriage with it fried dumpling. In the past this robiola also included the use of sheep’s milk: from this point of view there still exists Robiola from Castel San Giovanniincluded among the typical products, where in the processing of mixed milk the addition of sugar, salt, grappa or white wine is expected. After having matured for 15 days it is placed back in glass containers in oil and preserved, so as to become spicy with aging.
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