Author Topic: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese! - Update!  (Read 12114 times)

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese! - Update!
« on: August 09, 2009, 02:27:04 AM »
Well I have been theatening to do this for years and I am doing it now. What am I doing? Adding pistashios to my cheese. Not just any cheese mind you one of my homebrewed Italian cheeses called - Crosta Rossa now to be called Crosta Rossa Pistacchi! Or would it be Pistacchi e Crosta Rossa? Whatever it is I am known to add pishachios to just about everything from sausage to Jalepino poppers. I love the little buggers and they add a great flavor to things.

For John and Wayne I actually took readings as I went with my pH meter. Rather than doing things according to the pH reading I did things then took the reading. Something I rarely do. Just a PITA to calibrate it everytime I use it.

Hey I am Italian! Stand By - more to come.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2009, 03:22:54 AM by DeejayDebi »

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2009, 05:33:25 AM »
First of all if you are not familiar with Crosta Rossa it is an Italian cheese. In english it translates to Cheese to red crust.

I have not seen this cheese sold anywhere since I was a kid. It was very popular in the Italian section I grew up in but times have changed and the old clan and neighborhood are no more. As far as a know I am the only one around here that still makes it.

Traditionaly is is made in wood molds. It is quite delicious and only requires 30 to 40 days to age so it is an easy quick semi-hard cheese to make.

Okay the cheeses are in the molds. I split the curds into two of the 3 kg molds. I like the size they make. Crosta Rossa is usually made in about 1 kg flat wheels so these will be a little bit bigger.

I used store bought milk for this recipe with calcium cloride. I'll leave it press over night and then dry salt them to release more whey. The salting will be done twice 24 hours apart.

After the salting they will be soaked in fairly sweet red wine (hense the name cheese to red crust). And a Salt brine after that.

The cheese, the wine and the nuts just seens to go together.

Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese - Cheese to red crust

From Tuscany a soft and buttery paste in the winter, but crumbly in the spring. It has a strong taste of milk and aromas

Ingredients:
7  gallons milk
1/2 teasppon Mesophilic Aromatic Type B
1 cup chopped pistachios
3/4 teaspoon Rennet
Salt

Procedure:
heat milk to 86°F
Add a mesophilic culture ripen for 45 minutes.
Add rennet
Cut curd into  1/2 inch pieces and rest 5-10 minutes.
Now cut curd with a whisk into grain like pieces.
While stirring, the temp may be increased to 95-96°F slowly.
Continue stirring taking about 30-45 minutes to firm up curds.
"Drain the  whey down to the curd level keeping the whey at 90° for later pressing.
"
Prepare molds with warmed cheese cloth dip in the whey.
Fill your molds with cheese and return them to the pot of whey.
"Once all of the molds have been filled,  turned them over in the molds rewrap and stack 2 high to help draining and develop a nice smooth surface.
"
"After 20-30 minutes flip the formed cheeses nicely and returned to molds.
"
While keeping temperature about 90°F place the followers on the molds and place a small weight about2-3 pounds on the molds for about 3-4 hours.
"Remove from the molds and let sit overnight to will allow the pH to fall to 5.2-5.4.
"
Next morning they are dry salted with 1.5-2%  of their weight.
"Age at 52-58°F and 95-97% humidity in covered boxes for about 60 days.
"
« Last Edit: August 09, 2009, 10:02:41 PM by DeejayDebi »

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2009, 09:59:45 PM »
Salt out #1


Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2009, 10:41:27 PM »
Brined in Chianti wine ... air drying now.


Waitawa Farm Cheesemaking

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2009, 10:09:23 AM »
Sounds like a great recipe, thanks for sharing! Can the taste be compared to any other more well known italian cheeses?

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2009, 07:15:29 PM »
It is often compared to Reblochon for some reason although I have never had Reblochon so I don't know. From what I have read Reblochon gets bitter with age where Crosta Rossa just gets crumbly and stronger like an aged parmesan.

Young I'd have to say it is something like a buttery havarti soft and pastey and mild flavored, but with a young parmesan flavor. When it is aged it is stronger and crumblier.

It it used like a side dish on the table with fresh bread and wine and sometimes it is used to flavor things like fish or macaroni. When it is aged it is good to sprinkle on soups. Sorry I am not good at describing cheeses. I like it or I don't.

Bella

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2009, 02:28:24 AM »
Hi Deb
Great looking cheese - I just have to try it!!!
Can you please confirm that I have interpreted your method correctly?

After you have dry salted it twice (24 hours apart) it is soaked in red wine (how long does it remain in the wine?) and then brined in a salt solution (what strength? how long?). Are the pistachios added just prior to hooping?

Thanks in advance
B

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2009, 03:13:07 AM »
Procedure:
Heat milk to 86°F.
Add a few drops of diluted annatto (you are looking for off white)
Add a mesophilic culture ripen for 45 minutes.
Add rennet
Cut curd into  1/2 inch pieces and rest 5-10 minutes.
Now cut curd with a whisk into rice sized pieces.
Raise the temperature slowly to 95-96°F stirring gently.
Continue stirring for about 30-45 minutes to firm up curds.
Maintain 90°F and drain the  whey down to the curd level but retain the whey.
Warm your cheese cloth in the whey and line your molds.
If you choose to add pistachios mix them with the curds a this point.
As you fill your molds with cheese, return them to the pot of whey.
Once all of the molds have been filled,  flip them over, rewrap and stack them.
This will help them drain and get a smooth rind.
After 20-30 minutes flip the cheeses rewrap and press with a light weight.
I will flip and repress the cheese every hour until bedtime.
Leave cheeses in the mold and let sit over night.
Next morning remove from the molds and pat dry with paper towels.
Sprinkle kosher salt all over a plate big enough to hold the cheese.
Roll the cheese on the salt to get it on the sides and rub it on gently.
Flip the cheese to salt both sides and let it rest for 24 hours.
This will extract more whey and add salt to the cheese.
Repeat this step again twice more for 24 hours each time.

NOTE: you could just do a heavy brine solution and wet brine the cheeses.

Wash the cheeses with a mixture of salt and water to remove the loose salt.
Pour a sweet red wine into a container large enough to hold the cheeses.
Soak cheeses in the wine for 24 hours. Turn the cheeses every few hours.
This is where the name comes from.
Next dry the cheeses and wash them with cheese cloth and salt water brine.
Age at 52-58°F and 95-97% humidity in covered boxes for 45 to 60 days.
Turn the cheeses daily. If mold develops wash with cheesecloth and brine.
Salute’!
 -----------------------------------------------------

Hopefully this is clearer.  But to directly answer your question. Wash off the salt first in a salted water wash or whey from the process mixed with salt ( A teaspoons in a cup of whey or water will do) then dry the cheeses with paper towels.

No salt just wine. This will sit also for about 24 hours. It can sit for up to 2 or 3 days if you want. Wipe the wine off and air dry like normal and start to age. It pretty good as a mild snack or table cheese after a month but will develop a nice strong flavor after about 6 months.

If you dry salt it twice for 24 hours each you don't brine it. If you brine it do a heavy brine of about 2 pounds of salt to 1 gallon of whey or water.

Yes the chopped nuts are added just before hooping. Hope you like it.

Bella

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2009, 03:58:18 AM »
Grazie!
I really appreciate your taking the time to elaborate on the procedure.  I don't have any pistachios, but will go into town next week on a mission!!  I'll let you know how it goes.
B

susanne

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2009, 08:59:58 PM »
what a great idea to add pistachios to cheese.
debi the cheese looks great. i wish i could taste it. wondering if i use goats milk, will it produce a very different cheese??
i can only do a batch with 4 gallon at a time. how would i adjust the meso and rennet? just cut in half?

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2009, 10:42:51 PM »
Bella-
Voi Benvenuto! You don't have to use the nuts. I have just always felt they should be there for some reason. I never even heard of it of it made with nuts. I just love to add pistachios to things. I even add them to my cream cheese jalapeno poppers!

Susanne-
I can't really say how different it wold be from goats milk. I have only recently found a source for goats milk. I don't even know if I have ever eatten a goats milk cheese. From what I understand from other ladies with goats you can make almost anything with it you would make from a cows milk.

I believe that when this came originally from Italy they may have used goat or sheep and cows milk together. I don't know for sure though. I may have to research this.

I do know I made it once with Yago Sangria (it was a very popular wine when I was a teenager) and it was a bit sweeter. Very good. It might offset what I have been told is a more bitter cheese from a goat?

Not you have piqued my curiosity!  ;D

susanne

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2009, 04:56:03 AM »
the cheese i made with goatsmilk was gouda, not very different in taste just white, gorgonzola ( i call it caprizola ;) ) and is just very good, better then store bought, and camembert, parmesan, raclette and manchego.  i have not had bitter tasting cheese yet.
it might depend what the goats are eating and what breed they are? my understanding was it is just the different in curds as goats milk curds are more delicate.
maybe i chould do a cows milk cheese as for comparison.
i made kinda chevre that i brined in red wine but i guess i was not patient enough and aged it not long enough. the wine taste took completely over.

what would you recommend how much rennet and meso if i only use 4 gallon?

Alex

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2009, 09:20:14 AM »
Bella-
Voi Benvenuto! You don't have to use the nuts. I have just always felt they should be there for some reason. I never even heard of it of it made with nuts. I just love to add pistachios to things. I even add them to my cream cheese jalapeno poppers!

Susanne-
I can't really say how different it wold be from goats milk. I have only recently found a source for goats milk. I don't even know if I have ever eatten a goats milk cheese. From what I understand from other ladies with goats you can make almost anything with it you would make from a cows milk.

I believe that when this came originally from Italy they may have used goat or sheep and cows milk together. I don't know for sure though. I may have to research this.

I do know I made it once with Yago Sangria (it was a very popular wine when I was a teenager) and it was a bit sweeter. Very good. It might offset what I have been told is a more bitter cheese from a goat?

Not you have piqued my curiosity!  ;D

Isn't this cheese like a spanish Cabre al Vino?

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2009, 03:28:53 PM »
Susanne -
I think I'd drop the meso down to about 1/4 teaspoon for 4 gallons. I haven't used goats milk but once so I don't really know yet how it tastes. I read somewhere it tends to b more bitter by but from the smell of my crotins it does smell bitter. I will find out soon though I have 6 gallons to pick up today!  :D

Alex -
I don't know if this is similar to Cabre al Vino I've never had it. I am finding that the Spanish cheeses are very close to the Italian cheeses though. Maybe because they are geographically close?

cmharris6002

  • Guest
Re: I Finally Did it Crosta Rossa Pistacchi Cheese!
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2009, 11:06:19 PM »
I make a Cabra al Vino. Its a washed curd cheese, the curde are milled into 6mm pieses and blended with salt before pressing. It is bathed in red wine 24hrs, out 6hrs, and back in the wine for another 24hrs.

Christy