I thought I posted this when I made it but I couldn't find it. It is the creamest, sweetest, tastest melt in your mouth cheese I ever ate. This is one of my research recipes and it's only 5 months old.
I was ging to make pizza but I didn't have an more cheesse. Well not mozzarella anyway. I can't believe I am out but everyone grabs that first because they know what it is. Anyway. I went down to the cheese cave and grabbed a semi hard cheese to make pizza with. A 5 month old Caciotta del Filetto Rosso (cheese of the red thread). This was made with raw milk and some saffron threads.
I have to say this was the best cheese and best pizza I ever ate! The cheese is soooo creamy and rich it melts as soon as it hits your tongue. It has a mild creamy almost mild cheddar/gouda like taste with a hint of saffron that just lights up your taste buds. It does not have that slight bitter after flavor of cheddar. Amazingly wonderful flavor. You have to try making this cheese if you make anything. I don't usually get excited about food but this is an awsome cheese and easy to make (if you don't try using the edam moulds).
The first is a shot of the cheese, I took after I had put it away already. It was an after thought. After I ate the pizza. There is no coloring in this cheese. You can see a spec of the safron in the upper right corner.
Caciotta del Filetto Rosso (of the red thread) - Italy
Caciotta del Filetto Rosso - Italy - ( caciotta of red thread)
Sheep's (70%) and cows' (30%) whole milk cheese, with semi-cooked curds, cylindrical in shape with a low base and with rounded sides.
Ingredients:
milk
Danlac Probat 222 or Mesophilic Type B or Flora Danica
rennet
A pinch Red Saffron threads
Procedure:
Geographical area: the entire territory of the province of Pesaro and Urbino.
The cheese is historically made in the area defined, as confirmed by the many mentions dating back to the Renaissance. In particular, the name "Casciotta" traditionally refers to the product obtained by specific techniques maintained according to local established practices.
The milk, obtained from whole sheep's and cows'milk with the addition of saffron is brought to a temperature of 95°F (35°C) with gentle stirring.
Add starter culture and mix well. Let milk sour for 30 minutes
Add sufficient rennet to coagulate milk in 35 to 45 minutes while keeping tempature steady.
Cut curds to 1/2 inch and rest curds for 5 minutes.
Raise temperature to 95°F over 20 minutes stirring gently.
Remove heat stiiring for 20 minutes more to prevent matting.
Let curds rest for 10 minutes.
Drain curd in cloth then place in a cloth lined mold. Allow to drain for 15 minutes pressing lightly with follower.
Flip cheese and drain for another 10 minutes pressing with 10 pounds weight.
Flip cheese again and press over night with 25 pound weight.
Brine cheese in saturted brine for 6 to 8 hours.
Let cheese are dry for 24 to 48 hours until dry to the touch.
Age at 50°F and 80 to 90% humidity for 30 to 60 days - I left it for 5 months and it was amazing!
It's supposed to be part sheep and part cows milk but I made it with just raw cows milk. I also used the edam molds again so I could see if they drained any better with the extra holes - they did. Still a bit akward to press being so round but they worked. I had more curd than room it the two molds so the extra got put into my square muenster mold.