Author Topic: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...  (Read 2659 times)

mightyjesse

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Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« on: April 05, 2012, 03:20:17 PM »
I have the 200 Easy Homemade Cheeses book and I was flipping through the pasta-filata section. Her method for producing both provolone and caciocavallo is not something I've ever seen before, and I was wondering if anyone had ever tried this method. (Cheddaring, followed by dumping the cut curds into 145 degree F water and allowing the temp to drop to 130 over 1-2 hours, then stretching the cheese when it hits temp...)

Does it work???

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2012, 07:40:17 PM »
I guess you could say I do a cheddaring of sorts. I do cut the cheese into fait;y good sized chunks before putting it into the pot. From your brief description it sounds like it would work just fine.

mightyjesse

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2012, 07:45:00 PM »
But putting the slabbed pieces immediately into 145 degree water? Wouldn't that kill the critters prematurely? Slow them down? She says NOTHING about testing the curds for stretch... It's just very odd.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2012, 07:52:50 PM »
Maybe she is assuming they are ready or that they have been tested? You should always test the curds first. I am finding it is very easy to leave out steps when you are typing instructions for people. Sometimes I do things and don't even realize I did it because it is so automatic. It helps to have pictures to remind you what you do sometimes. Sometimes I find the details like stretching in other parts of a book. I can't really say without seeing the whole process.

mightyjesse

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2012, 08:02:17 PM »
She used exactly the same procedures for that portion of BOTH the Provolone and Caciocavallo recipies... No mention of testing for stretch in EITHER. I scoured them, because I've had so much trouble getting p/h milk to work for thermo culture cheese (as opposed to direct acidification).

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2012, 08:06:15 PM »
Well she must have missed that step. I'd either used one of the recipes here you know works or try hers and just try testing the curds first before heating them in the pot.

Ross

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2012, 04:41:37 AM »
I also have that book and have just tried the Caciocavallo recipe and have had the same type of result, the curds did not stretch, even though the instructions did not state it ,I used a digital PH meter and I had a reading of 5.2. I worked the curd for about 20 - 30 mins, but the curd kept breaking/tearing so I took the curds out of the hot water and left them in a collander for another half hour, I then tried a small piece and the curd did not stretch. I have wrapped the curd and placed it in the refrigerator and will try a small piece in a few hours and see what happens.
I read a Kasseri recipe that said to leave the curd overnight then try stretching it, I might try that, or I could break it up even more press it and make Cheddar cheese instead.

mightyjesse

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Re: Amrein-Boyes Provolone/Caciocavallo methodology...
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2012, 10:50:51 AM »
I just work the curd enough to get the extra whey out, regardless of texture and then pop it in a mold. The flavor comes out right, and if you don't overwork it, the FINISHED texture is fine, but the stretch just never happens on p/h milk cheese...