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PRODUCTION PROCESS
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| traditional copper cauldrons |
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The raw milk, partially skimmed from the natural cream risen to the surface, is placed in traditional copper vats having the shape of a reversed bell. Each cauldron can contain up to 1300 lt., necessary to obtain two cheese wheels. Milk is then heated to a temperature of 31-33° Celsius; when milk is warm, a natural bacterial culture (fermented whey) is added to the mixture. This increases the degree to which the milk is soured and ensures that the cheese reaches adequate amount of fermentation. After about 10 minutes, milk coagulates and it is broken in pieces which are very similar to rice grains: this process is called "Spinatura", which means breaking the curd with a special tool called the "spino".
The milk mixture is then heated to 53-55 degrees Celsius and stirred continuously to ensure uniform heat distribution. Rennet (a natural coagulant derived from cow stomach lining) is added after the heating process is finished. After 1-15 minutes, the coagulation process is complete. The result of coagulation is curd or cagliata. The cagliata is broken up with a special instrument. This entire process is undertaken at a low heat.
The heat is turned off and the curd is scraped from the bottom of the cauldron with a wooden shovel and then placed on a filter sheet. This entire process is referred to as "Levatura". The curd is left for 2 to 3 days on this sheet. A large ball forms, which is then divided in half, and placed in form wrappings (this gives the cheese its traditional shape, the round wheel).
The cheese is immersed in a saltwater solution for 21 days ( this process is referred to as being "salted" ) and later placed on special wooden shelves. The cheese is then preserved at a constant temperature of 15° C for a period ranging from 16 to 24 months, the cheese is periodically checked, turned over, and scraped. This is known as the seasoning process.
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