One of the reasons that the Italian art of cheese-making is so unique is the production of extraordinary unripened cheeses brought to the table on a daily basis.
We all know the most classic of combinations: mozzarella with fresh tomatoes and basil leaves, but there are many other ingredients that can give an aromatic touch to cheese.
The perfect ingredient for full-flavoured, stuffed pasta parcels is ricotta cheese, which also combines well with sweet, non-acidic ingredients such as fruit sauces, honey, cocoa and cinnamon.
Mascarpone, on the other hand, is delicate and not really suited to being heated, but it is just as delicious as ricotta when dressed as a “sweet”, and it also combines well with citrus flavours and various dried fruits and nuts.
Fresh goat’s cheese, soft as the robiola cheeses, made of pure goat’s milk or a mixture of different milks, can be coated in fresh herbs or spices, chilli flakes and sweet paprika, marjoram and tarragon, chives and rocket.
At this time of year goats’ cheeses go particularly well with slightly acidic fresh fruit such as the red fruits, peaches and figs, whilst in the cold months they can be enjoyed with dates, walnuts and hazelnuts or dried figs.
Olive oil deserves a separate mention: there are cheeses which are regularly seasoned with oil, salt and pepper, but let’s not forget that oil is also an important preserving agent, used in some cases for a kind of “maturing” of the cheese. Cheese preserved in oil is not found everywhere but is very easy to do at home (especially with fresh goats’ cheeses or with some of the just-ripe caciotta cheeses). It is a variation worth considering when you want to bring an extra dimension to an “everyday” cheese.
