Description
The classical and smoked Provola cheese, are a spun paste (in Italian pasta filata) cheese products, typical of the culinary tradition of the South, and are obtained by processing cow’s milk, in different forms and different weight.
This food looks a lot like the seasoned mozzarella and in Campania they use the smoking technique and is often used the buffalo milk to make cheese.
The origins of smoked cheese seem to go back in the medieval period, which was made for the first time by the monks and on this there are some testimonies from the seventeenth century, when the smoked cheese became the protagonist of the Neapolitan cribs.
The word “provolone” comes from the word “prova” (test in English), that is the sample that was extracted before being tasted to see if the product was good before completing the final processing.
They are many the regions which claim paternity of smoked cheese, starting from Campania and Molise and it is extremely difficult to determine with absolute certainty the areas of origin, because we should speak not only of the cheese, although of the process that was used through the spinning system, very similar to that which is used for the preparation of seasoned mozzarella, but also for other types of typical dairy products of southern tradition, such as Caciotta and Caciocavallo cheeses.
The development of the smoked cheese has spread very rapidly throughout Italian territories, from the southern regions (Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia), and then move to the center (Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise), until get to the north and we must not be surprised if today the only provola with the DOP is to Lombard, or Provolone valpadano.
A very popular variant of smoked Provola, is the Scamorza, also made from both natural that with the smoke and the difference from the simple product are the reduced dimensions but with a very large head, and its production is obtained by the use of mixed milk (sheep and cows).
Production
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the smoked Provola is made from raw whole cow’s milk, which is then added with the liquid rennet and let coagulated in a second time at a temperature of about 30 degrees.
The spinning of the paste can be done either by hand or mechanically, shaping it by hand in hand a spheroidal forms and then be tied at the top with a dietary fiber wire, forming in this way a small head. Subsequently the Provolas are salted by immersion in brine.
The smoking process is carried out by subjecting the forms of provolone to smoke that you get through the damp straw combustion for a minimum period of about ten minutes.
The maturing or ripening of smoked cheese is rather fast, from a minimum of 24 hours or until you get to a maximum of ten days, but can be aged for longer periods.
Once ready for the trade, the Provola is aesthetically with a spherical shape which can be more or less elliptical and even crushed with a loop at the apex to form a head, unlike the Scamorza cheese which has the largest head as the rest of the body.
The smoked cheese has a weight ranging from 500 up to 600 grams, with a diameter of about fifteen centimeters.
This food is aesthetically white in the case of the natural product, or brown for the smoked product, with a smooth and glossy surface, and its paste has a color reminiscent of ivory, very compact and elastic, with the presence of slight irregular holes which vary according to the aging period.
Uses
The consistency of Provola in general is very soft and buttery. This dairy product, great to be eaten raw as a table cheese, it is also used in cooking to flavor dishes such as pastas or as a raw ingredient in salads.
Given its stringy texture, it is also ideal as a substitute for the classic mozzarella, in the pizza to be added in both classical and stuffed, or in the Calzoni.
You may use provolo in the preparation of lasagna and baked vegetables, or for the preparation of elaborate and unusual risotto, bruschetta, piadine wraps and crescioni.
We advise against the consumption of Provola to those who suffer from lactose intolerance, and also to those who have problems related to hypercholesterolemia.
You can propose Provola with other cheese and salami, both in the family as a rustic appetizer, or for a dinner with friends, serving the dish with a good red wine with fruity flavors.
