Cachotta - Italian cheese semi-soft table. Cooking tips

The word "cachotta" (Caciotta) In Italy Called the whole group of semi-soft cheeses, which are made from milk of cows, goats, sheep and buffalo. It occurs from the Tuscan "kachola" and in translation means "cheese", which is due to the small size of the heads.

The history of cottage cheese

The production of the kachot began in the 9th century and covered the northern and southern parts of the Apennine peninsula (Italy). This type of cheese quickly gained popularity among shepherds, nomads and military personnel. The small head of the cachotte was used as a food during long hikes. At the same time, his main advantage lay in the short maturation period (not more than 1 month).

Cachotta is a cheese that has been produced for many years in such regions of Italy as Umbria and Tuscany. Here it is prepared from sheep milk (Caciotta Romana) and sheep with the addition of cow (Caciotta Toscana).

Description and taste

Cachotte cheese looks like cylindrical heads of different sizes and weighs from 1 to 8 kg. The average weight is 700-1200 grams. The traditional head measures 20 cm in height and about 8 cm in diameter.

Kachotta - yellow cheese with a white edge, having a soft texture and a mild flavor. Its taste depends on the aging time.

Young kachotta - cheese with a sweet sweet taste and a slight nutty aroma. Leaves a pleasant aftertaste. The longer the aging time, the more piquant is the taste of cheese and rich color.

Nutritional and calorie content

Italian kachotta - it's not just tasty and healthy cheese. Unlike most other varieties, it is also less caloric. In 100 grams of cachotte contains only 228 kcal. All nutrients, especially proteins contained in cheese, are absorbed by the body by 99%. It is especially important that calcium and phosphorus in it are in the optimal ratio.

Kachotta - cheese, in which there is absolutely no carbohydrates. That is why it is often included in the composition of effective diets. At the same time the nutritional value of cheese is high enough. The amount of proteins in the cheese reaches 16 g, and the fat - 18 g per 100 g total weight. As a percentage, this is 24% of the daily rate.

Choice of milk

The Italian dairies prepare kachotu from milk of different kinds: cow, sheep, goat, and in former times even buffalo. Sometimes it is mixed, and then completely new cheeses are obtained. Delicious kachotta is made from sheep's milk with the addition of cow's (no more than 30% of the volume).

For the preparation of cheese at home , cow milk is most often used. But preliminary it needs to be cleaned, that is to pasteurize. This is a prerequisite for home-made milk. If you buy milk in a store, it is better to choose an ultrapasteurized, refined using the most modern technologies.

Cooking Technology

The product is produced both in private dairies, and in large factories. The technology remains unchanged and consists of several stages.

1. Pasteurize milk for 15 seconds at 75 degrees.
2. Cooling the milk to a temperature of 38 degrees. If this value is higher, then the bacteria contained in the leaven will die.
3. At the next stage pure milk is introduced into the prepared milk. This is a special thermophilic starter for Lactoferm cheese . It should be gently stirred in milk and left for 40 minutes to activate the culture.
4. After the specified time rennet rennet is introduced. The activation time is 20 minutes. After this, a clot should form on the surface of the mass. Rennet, which is used at this stage, can be of animal origin or microbial Lactoferm.

Now the resulting clot must be cut twice, oxidized and salted. And only after this comes the final stage in the production of cheese - maturation.

Cutting, oxidation and salting of cheese

The clot obtained as a result of activation of the thermophilic culture and rennet enzyme undergoes the first cutting. At this stage, the mass is cut into squares 4-6 cm in size, and then slowly mixed for 5 minutes.

Then the second cutting is performed, with simultaneous heating of the hood to a temperature not exceeding 42 degrees. The grain size obtained at this stage is no more than 1 cm. Now the sliced cheese mass is laid out in special molds with holes for draining the whey. The value of the future cheese head is directly dependent on the selected shape size.

The next step is the oxidation of the cachot. Forms with cheese are left for 4-6 hours in a room with a temperature of 36-38 degrees. In this case, they must periodically be turned over and monitored for acidity (the normal value of the indicator should not exceed the value of 5.25).

Further forms with cheese are placed in brine, where they are at a temperature of 15 degrees 10 hours. After the specified time, it is taken out and sent to maturation.

Process of cheese ripening

The final stage of production of cachotts is maturation. The length of time, after which the semi-soft cheeses can be considered ready, or ripened, is from 15 to 45 days. It depends on the requirements of manufacturers or customers. The average maturation period is 30 days. If you cut it 2 times, you get a young cachotte, white and with a soft texture.

When cheese ripens, it is important to maintain the temperature and humidity of the air. Otherwise it may not work. The air temperature in the room should be within 5-6 degrees at a humidity of 80-90%.

Chechotta cheese: a recipe for cooking at home

Those cheeses, which are mostly sold in domestic stores, do not much resemble the real kachotu. But there is a way out of the situation. Chek at home is very delicious, and it's not difficult to cook it.

The sequence of preparation includes itself several stages.

1. Prepare all the ingredients: 10 liters of milk (ultra-pasteurized), 2 ampoules of calcium chloride per 10 ml (can be purchased at the pharmacy), rennet, thermophilic cheese leaven (bought in a specialized online store), salt.
2. Milk heated to a temperature of 38 degrees. Cover it with thermophilic starter, mix gently and leave under cover for 40 minutes.
3. After this time, dilute in 100 ml of warm water (40 degrees) calcium chloride (1 ampoule). In another bowl, dilute the rennet in water. Pour both yeast into the milk and leave it under the lid for 30 minutes.
4. The resulting clot is cut into small squares and proceeded to slowly heat the mass to a temperature of 42 degrees.
5. Now you need to drain the serum. For this, the cottage cheese mass should be transferred to a special cheese form with holes. Put under it a separate dish for collecting whey.
6. The next stage is oxidation. At the bottom of the pot, pour a little water and heat it to a temperature of 60 degrees. From above put the plate upside down, and on it - a shape with cheese. Cover the pan with a towel
7. After 40 minutes, the cheese in the form is turned over. Then cover the pot with a towel again. Repeat the procedure 2 more times. Then put the cheese on dry gauze, let dry and cool.
8. At this time, prepare a solution for salting. To do this, add salt and the remaining ampoule of calcium chloride to a pot of water. Place the kachotte in the solution for 6 hours.
9. After the specified time, the cheese is removed from the brine, dried and sent to the refrigerator for 2-6 weeks to ripen.
10. The Italian kachotta at home is ready. Bon Appetit!