What Is Asiago Cheese
In summary, Asiago cheese in an Italian cows milk cheese which holds a PDO certification. This means, that Asiago cheese is protected by designation of origin much like Parmesan cheese.
On the contrary to Parmesan, Asiago cheese must be solely from the Asiago Plateau from the regions of Veneto as well as Trentino-Alto Adige. The PDO status strictly covers only some parts of four provinces and it is only there where you can find its production. T
hese are: Vicenza, Treviso, Padua and Trento. If you happen to travel into these parts of Northern Italy, you have to try Asiago cheese. It doesnt get any fresher than that!
In addition, Asiago cheese is known as a mountain cheese. This is because it is produced in dairy farms 600 metres above sea level.
Fresh Asiago Cheese Pdo
Crafted in a territory characterised by mountain ranges and broad valleys, the fresh Asiago cheese PDO by Lattebusche is a soft semi-cooked cheese with a long tradition. It has a delicate taste and melts in your mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste and a buttery creamy sensation. You wont be able to stop after one bite of this cheese!Lattebusche produces this cheese, carefully checking every step of the production chain. As a matter of fact, the farms belonging to the cooperative members are all located near the manufacturing facilities and allraw products are fully traceable. Controls are continuously carried out to ensure that hygiene rules in the barns are respected and raw milk, semi finished goods and finished products are all monitored through thousands of yearly lab tests in order to create a product whose sensory properties are nothing short of excellent. Try to dice it up and add it to a spring salad with asparagus and speck. melt it over some grilled radicchio or use it to sauce some delicious potato gnocchi. We love it with:
Aged Asiago Cheese Spread
DOMESTIC. Creamy, smooth, and spreadable with a slight grainy texture. This Cheddar with aged Asiago cheese spread has a nice bite, but its not too sharp.
Our own brand of specially-made aged Asiago flavored cheese spread, made from a blend of aged natural Wisconsin Grade A sharp Cheddar and other ingredients.
Mama Di Silvestros favorite!
Ingredients
Sharp Cheddar and Asiago cheese aged 9 months , water, reduced lactose whey, cream, whey, sorbic acid , sea salt, lactic acid, guar gum.
Flavor-Meter
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Where To Buy Asiago Cheese
Again, as mentioned above, you can purchase Asiago cheese directly in Italy. More specifically, in the regions where they produce it. However, you can also purchase Asiago cheese in specialty cheese stores or Italian delicacy shops.
Moreover, you might also find Asiago cheese in some larger supermarkets, but my feeling is that youll have to look for it. Its not as common as Parmesan or Gruyere. Treat it similarly to the Manchego cheese. It might be located in the premium section of the supermarket.
What Cheese Is Closest To Parmesan
The Seven Best Parmesan Cheese Substitutes
- Is Parmesan cheese healthy?
- Sapsago.
- Manchego. Manchego is a Spanish cheese with a distinctive yellow color.
- Soy Parmesan. Finally, if you are looking for a non-dairy substitute for Parmesan cheese, then soy Parmesan cheese is the one you need.
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Different Kinds Of Asiago Cheese
The two most common types of Asiago are young Asiago and aged Asiago .
1)Asiago Pressato, aged as little as one month, is pale yellow in color, easy to grate, spongy, and ideal for slicing or melting. The rind on this cheese is thin and perfectly edible.
2)Asiago dAllevo may be cave-aged for as long as two years and has a rigid crumb that readily falls apart under pressure. It has a thick rind that is too tough to eat but makes a delicious addition to stocks and stews. The color of aged Asiago is much darker, and it is a harder, drier cheese that does not melt as easily as the younger versions.
There are several intermediate categories of Asiago named according to the length of aging.
These are less common and relevant outside of Italy.Asiago Mezzano ages for three to eight months and has a more vegetal flavor than Pressato. Veccio spends nine to 18 months in a cave and acquires slight bitter notes. Stravecchio is slightly younger than dAllevo, aging for a minimum of 18 months, and has developed a spicy flavor and the crumbly texture characteristic of cave-aged Asiago.
How Long Does Asiago Cheese Last
Fresh Asiago will last two weeks in the fridge, whileaged Asiago easily survives up to six weeks due to its lower moisture level. Either variety can persist in the freezer for up to a year–just make sure it is well-labeled!
Mold formation is not generally considered problematic on Asiago cheese. If a spot of mold forms on an otherwise edible cheese, trim around and below the mold, taking care not to touch it with the knife. Discard the moldy pieces and repackage the remaining cheese.
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How Is Asiago Cheese Made
Fresh Asiago takes advantage of full-cream cows milk inoculated with bacterial cultures, which must be heated, then coagulated with rennet and cooked briefly.
A cheesemaker then sprinkles the curds with salt and presses them in a mold for two days, followed by two days of soaking in a brine. The young Asiago finishes with a month of flavor development in a cave.
Aged Asiago uses partially skimmed milk and does not go through a pressing step instead, the molded curds are turned repeatedly for several days before undergoing brining.
This aged cheese may spend up to two years in a cave, where cheesemakers carefully turn it and shepherd it to completion.
Flavor Profile Comparison With Best Substitutes
First thing first, Asiago is a semi-hard Italian cheese made of cow milk. And its produced in the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige region in Italy. It has a fresh version and an aged version, so you need to know which one you are choosing for your recipe. Overall, it tastes sweet, mild with a good hint of savory.
The fresh asiago version is creamier, which is better for pasta or risotto. The aged version is good for sprinkling or grated over dishes.
The best asiago cheese substitute is parmesan cheese. And here is an in-depth article for Asiago vs Parmesan if you really like to grind into detail of why its the top recommended option from me, I also talks about the nutritional differences there.
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Is There Another Name For Asiago Cheese
Fresh Asiago, also known as Asiago Pressato, is made using whole milk and is aged for about a month. The result is cheese with a milder flavor and softer, smoother texture than aged Asiago. Aged Asiago, or Asiago dallevo, can be aged anywhere from a few months to a two years.
Asiago Cheese From Italy
Asiago may not be as famous as Italys other grand varieties, but its a cheese well worth knowing it just may surprise you! Smooth to crumbly, or sweet to savoury, Asiago can assume many different flavours and textures according to age.
Versions of Asiago are made all over the world, but the official Asiago D.O.P. cheese is only produced in specific origin areas of Italy. By European law, these areas are the namesake town of Asiago, the province of Vicenza, and the province of Trento.
Originally made with ewes milk, todays Asiago is made exclusively with high-quality, unpasteurised cows milk from the Alpine meadows. These meadows bloom with many species of grass, as well as medicinal plants and flowers, all of which contribute to a distinctly special Asiago cheese.
Asiago Varieties
Asiago D.O.P. is produced in two distinct types. One is sweet and delicate the other rich and savoury. The main differences in flavour and texture are due to the type of milk used in production, as well as the length of the aging period.
Fresh Asiago : Delicate and sweet, fresh Asiago is produced with whole milk and only aged for 20 days. This soft cheese has an aroma reminiscent of yogurt or farm fresh butter. It is pale straw yellow in colour and mildly sweet and acidic in flavour. Fresh Asiago is not at all salty or bitter.
Buying Tips
Storage Tips
Serving Ideas
Asiago with Wine
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Best Asiago Cheese Brands
Asiago dAllevo DOP Oro del Tempo is the variety of Asiago that comes most highly recommended by professionals. Other types of Asiago with DOP status are also greatly prized you can recognize them not only by the letters DOP but also by the tiny pinpricks on their rind.
Some American cheesemakers also produce high-quality Asiago-style cheeses. Two well-known brands are Belgioiso and Sartori, both from Wisconsin.
How Asiago Is Made
Fresh Asiago is made using whole milk, while aged Asiago is made from a mixture of whole and skim milk. Both are heated to 95 F before rennet and enzymes are added, forming curds. After being kneaded, the mixture is cooked to a higher temperature . For fresh Asiago, the cheese is then salted and pressed before drying for two days, soaking in a brine for two days, and then dry-aging for about a month. For aged Asiago, the curds are placed in molds and turned several times, which drains off the whey. The cheese is then either soaked in brine or rubbed with salt, and aged for a few months to two years.
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How To Make Asiago Cheese
Making Asiago cheese at home requires an intermediate skill level and some dedicated cheese-making equipment, including an aging chamber.
New England Cheesemaking Supply has a recipe and instructions here for making a young Asiago Pressato style cheese you may also purchase the necessary supplies and bacterial cultures through this website.
Asiago Cheese Everything You Need To Know
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In the year 1000, sheep grazed on Italys Asiago plateau, tended by communities of mountain-dwelling subsistence farmers. Cheesemaking began as a preservation technique these isolated farmers developed their unique style of cheese to help their sheeps milk last longer.
In the 1500s, the plateau realized the introduction of cattle farming, and gradually production shifted to cows milk cheeses. Eventually, in the 1900s, modern techniques allowed these alpine cheesemakers to refine their process for broader markets, and Asiago cheese as we know it was born.
Below we’ve created a comprehensive guide to nutty, sour, sweet cheese we all know as Asiago.
Enjoy!
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Is Asiago A Hard Cheese
In short, the answer is absolutely! Although Asiago cheese can come in two forms, it still remains a hard cheese. Thats why there are so many Asiago cheese substitutes. The texture of the cheese depends completely on the aging process of the cheese.
Hence, a more fresh type of Asiago cheese called Asiago Pressato is slightly softer. In essence, you can use this type of Asiago in sandwiches, paninis and the like. For example, you can toss some slices into these recipes:
To learn more about the varieties of Asiago cheese and its production, click right here.
