Caciocavallo Silano D.O.P.

Item #: 7265

Caciocavallo Silano DOP, one of Italy’s most historic cheeses, has mentions dating back to Hippocrates in 500 BC. Caciocavallo itself is widely produced throughout Southern Italy, however the Silano version of the cheese comes only from designated areas and is made only from cow’s milk. Silano, a mountainous region in Calabria, is one source of the cheese, although it is produced in other regions as well. “Cacio” meaning cheese and “cavallo” meaning horse, refers to its aging method where two forms of the cheese are tied together with rope and draped over a beam, as if straddling a horse. The cheese making process for Caciocavallo Silano begins with the whey being heated to a temperature that permits it to be stretched and formed into different shapes, a tear-drop being the most commonly seen. The finished cheese is ripened for at least 15 days and aged before release for approximately 3 months. It is a smooth, semi-hard cheese with a stringy texture and a slightly spicy tang. Although commonly eaten fresh when young, more mature versions make frequent contributions to pasta dishes of the region.

  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Molise
  • Size: CW 4/5#