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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Other => Topic started by: JeffHamm on March 08, 2014, 07:10:13 AM

Title: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 08, 2014, 07:10:13 AM
I had a look through this board and found an old make by Deejay Debbie, Bitto, which looked interesting.  I've been thinking of trying something new, and I was thinking of something with lipase.  Since this is a mix of cow's milk and goat's milk, and I don't have goat's milk, then I figure I can add lipase and pretend (ok, I know the end result isn't the same, but I'm looking for an excuse here, work with me people!)

Anyway, here's the intended protocol, adapted a bit from Deejay's original post to fit what I've got:

Bitto  (Deejay adapted this from cheese descriptions)
a firm and tasty cheese, with a slightly granular texture. It can be served lightly grilled, which softens the texture and adds wonderful toasty flavours to it.

11 L cows milk (8 HomeBrand Standard + 3 HB Light blue top gives me : 1.16:1 p:f ratio)
¼ tsp CaCl2 in egg cup non-chlorinated water
( add 10 to 20% goats milk, or 1/16th tsp calf lipase)
1/4 teaspoon TM 81
(I’ll use 2 cubes Strep.Therm + 1/10 tsp LH100) Ended up using 2 tbls fresh mother culture of Strep.Therm.
1/20th  teaspoon Proprioni bacteria
1.6 ml 280 IMCU strength calves rennet (to get floc in 10 -15 minute range)
6.25”  diameter tomme mould

Deejay’s note: should probably have used Lactococcus Bulgaricus but I didn’t have any.  TM81 contains : (ST) Streptococcus thermophilus and
(LBB) Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

1)   Add CaCl2 to milk while setting up
2)   Add starter and lipase
3)   Warm milk 47.8-48.9 C  (?48.4 C)
4)   Ripen for 35 minutes. (9:01 - 9:36)
5)   Add rennet (9:37:15 – floc time 9:47:45 - 10m 30s 2.5x Floc - 26m 15s – cut at 10:03:30) NOTE: while this seems precise, I only just checked it at 9:47:30, and it had set already!  Seems to have set hard too.  So, probably floc’d much earlier, but I don’t know when.  Next time need to cut rennet down to 1.3 maybe?  Higher temp and acidity, etc, changes rennet action)
6)   Cut to ½ cm cubes, then to the size of rice (plunge whisk straight down and out through cubes; 10:08  )
7)   Slow raise tempertature to 52.8 C over  45 minutes. (10:12 - 10:57 45.8C – 51.8C – reached 522.8 at 11:05)
8)   Remove from heat and stir constantly for 15 minutes (11:08 – 11:15 : due to late temp reach, cut this short as I was stirring while heat rise)
9)   Drain whey, move curds in cloth to mould
10)   Press in the pot (10 kg for 30 min 11:25 - 11:55; 0.72 PSI)
11)   Press in the pot (15 kg for 30 min 11:55 - 12:30 ; 1.08 PSI)
12)   Press in the pot (20 kg for 30 min 12:30 - 1:00 ; 1.43 PSI)
13)   Press over night (35.2 kg 1:00 - ??:?? ; 2.53 PSI)
14)   The cheeses are dry salted every 2 or 3 days for 3 or 4 weeks. (or brine 1 hour per lbs per inch of height; i.e. a 2 lbs cheese, 2 inches tall, brines for 4 hours)
15)   Mature for at least 70 days but may be aged up to 10 years.


Just updating the notes as I've started the pressing.  This is a very straightforward to make cheese, and with it going in the mould in under 3 hours once the milk is to temp, it's a pretty quick make too.  I was thinking I might brine it, but have decided to go with the described salting (probably will only need to do this for two weeks though, as this is a smaller cheese).  - actually, as I've found out that brining is acceptable, I'll go with brining as I've done that lots.

Given that the milk clearly floc'd well before 10 minutes, this one will have retained more whey than usual.  However, given the fact that this is cut so small, and cooked quite hot relative to meso type cheeses, I'm thinking that may not be as big an impact.  But, to be on the safe side, I'll not age this one the full 10 years!  I was looking for a shorter term table cheese, so will go for a young one in the 3 to 4 year range! :)

Update at 6:31 pm, during the press: The knit has been fantastic since very early on.  The small curd size from the whisk, plus the high temperature of cooking, has really expelled the whey.  The size of the cheese is much smaller than my meso makes, and the stack of weights is nearly touching the top of the mould (image included below).  Quite possibly, at some point during the night, the pressing weight will revert to 5kg, or 0.36 PSI.  I've flipped it a few times.  The cloth is sticking to the cheese a bit, more tacky than sticky.  Hopefully it won't be stuck in the morning. 

Here's the "heat rise" chart.  Pretty good, though I was 1 C below target at the end of the time period.  I just kept raising the temp and shorted the "keep stirring off the heat" time that followed. 
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Tiarella on March 08, 2014, 12:34:21 PM
Cool!!!!  good luck!  Which end of the ripening spectrum of 70 days to 10 years are you planning on for opening this cheese?   :)
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Spoons on March 08, 2014, 04:22:05 PM
I've never heard of bitto cheese up until now. I googled it, it's quite a rare italian cheese.

Since this is a mix of cow's milk and goat's milk, and I don't have goat's milk, then I figure I can add lipase and pretend (ok, I know the end result isn't the same, but I'm looking for an excuse here, work with me people!)

The true nature of a home-cheesemaker, improvise! Love it!

Good luck with your make. Anxious to see the results (10 years?) lol.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 08, 2014, 10:39:19 PM
Hi Tiarella,

Will be aging this a few months, 3 maybe 4 I think.  I wanted a table cheese with lipase, and this seemed to fit the bill. 

Hi Spoons,

Yah, I hadn't heard of it either, but found Deejay Debbie's thread on it so thought I would give it a go.  Her makes are usually very good, so I'm hoping it all has gone to plan.  Seems to so far.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 09, 2014, 12:27:11 AM
I found this information on Bitto Cheese at http://www.bittocheese.com/bitto_cheese_production_English.html (http://www.bittocheese.com/bitto_cheese_production_English.html)  Based upon it, I would rennet at a slightly cooler temperature, but other than that, we're looking good I think.

Bitto cheese has remote origins which are rooted in the Alpine area of Valli del Bitto di Albaredo and Gerola, right in the heart of the Parco delle Orobie Valtellinesi. In year 2000 it was awarded the certificate of Appéllation d'Origin Protégée by the European Community.
It is fat, middle-hard, middle-ripe, Alp cheese. Its cylindrical cheeses are 40-50 cm in diameter, 9-12 cm high and weigh from 9 to 20 kg. Its colour varies from white to straw-yellow according to ripe.

The producing process covers a period of 4 months - from the 1st June to the 30th September - and fully respects the tradition and the environment.

Cow's milk is immediately added to goat's (10-20 % compulsory; Orobic breed risking extinction) and then poured into the traditional coppers whose form is that of an overturned bell. Here it warms up by wood fire till a temperature of 35-37°C. Calf's curd (sic: I assume this should read calf's rennet?) is added to it and the mixture obtained is then broken up thinly. Within two hours it is warmed to its final temperature of 50-52°C. Once removed from the copper, this mixture is placed into wooden containers, which give it its typical concave shape. The Producers of "Valli del Bitto" chooses containers in wood, as the porosity and transpirability of this material allow the cheese to breathe and dry during the stage of resting and dry-salting.
Moreover these traditional wooden tools are essential to preserve the typical features of this cheese, which change according only to the different pastures in which it is produced. The micro flora characterizing each pasture creates a barrier against micro-organisms which might damage the product. Cheese starts to ripen in the so called Alpine "casera", a rural small hut not far from the pasture, and finishes in the factories down in the valley. This process lasts for at least 70 days but this cheese can ripen for several years without organoleptic and structural features being altered. After one year the product can be grated and served as condiment.

Ah, and here http://bigcheesestories.blogspot.co.nz/2005/10/in-search-of-bitto.html (http://bigcheesestories.blogspot.co.nz/2005/10/in-search-of-bitto.html) it is mentioned that the cheese can be brined ; so I'll probably go that route as I'm used to it.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 09, 2014, 05:02:53 PM
Ok,

so, as expected the weights ended up settling on the top of the mould.  Oh well, still have a fantastic knit.  It's 15.7 x 5.5 cm, and 1264g, for a density of 1.19 g/cm3, which is very dense compared to the meso makes, reflecting the additional whey expulsion of the make.  It's now in the brine for 6 hours.  Should be ready in a couple months, we hope.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Flound on March 09, 2014, 06:25:32 PM
Nice looking beast. A cheese for you!

The idea of a softer cheese with lipase is intriguing.

Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 09, 2014, 08:10:58 PM
Yah, I'm hoping this will be a decent table cheese.  Notice I've cut the lipase way back, to 1/16th of a tsp rather than 1/4.  I find with 1/4 tsp it's great for a hard grating cheese (great for grate!) but a bit much for just nibbling on.  I just want something a bit sharp, but not overpowering.  This is my first attempt.  I'm expecting it will be firm, but not hard, at 3 or 4 months.

Oh, and the proprioni shermanii strain that I have is a low gas version, so it shouldn't create eyes.  This doesn't call for a warm phase, so I won't give it one, so I may not get much action from the PS.  Will see. 

Thanks for the cheese!

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Boofer on March 11, 2014, 02:01:46 PM
Alright, Jeff! Out there all alone in the new cheese style wilderness! 8)

Dunlop, Lancashire, Caerphilly, Derby, Wensleydale among others.... and now...Bitto!

Going where no other hobby artisan cheesemaker has gone before...like Pathfinders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinder_(military)) from the past.

Thank you for delving into these cheeses and giving us all a sense of direction if we ever get lost in our cheesemaking revelry. A cheese to you, Jeff, for leading the way!

As a special treat, I shall cut the cheese today in honor of you. ;)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 11, 2014, 05:41:34 PM
Hi,

Thanks Boofer, but I'm just following in Deejay's footsteps.  She posted her make a few years ago (it's on this board, way back in the first or second page.  I modified a few bits here and there where I had to, or based upon my experience and what suits my tastes, etc.  So, while I'm taking a road less traveled, it is not a road untraveled. :)

- Jeff+
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 14, 2014, 02:48:18 AM
Gave this the sniff test this morning.  Oh it will be hard to resist and get this aged out to 4 months!  Has a very wonderful aroma.  Still very dairyish (if that's a word - if not it should be) so not a strong lipase smell.  That's good because I want the lipase to be more hinted at than argumentative.  It will get stronger as it ages (lipase takes time for the enzyme to do its work), but on my other lipase cheeses it was always in your face by this point.  I also have to make room in the cave for it! 

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Al Lewis on March 14, 2014, 03:04:56 AM
A beautiful cheese and a cheese to you for bringing back an old, but great, recipe. ;D
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 14, 2014, 05:03:06 AM
Thanks Al!  It's been moved to the cave today.  Weighs in at 1142g after a few days air drying. Rind is nicely dry, has a great aroma.  I'm hoping this continues to live up to its promising start.  :)

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 24, 2014, 07:41:35 PM
This has been pretty trouble free, but a few tiny spots of blue mould have shown up.  So yesterday morning I sprinkled one face with salt, then in the evening before flipping I rubbed the brine and salt around that face, flipped, and sprinkled the other face with salt.  This morning, I rubbed the 2nd face's brine and salt into the cheese as best I could.  Once the rind is dried up again, I'll probably give it a bit of a wipe with extra virgin olive oil to help toughen up the outter rind.  Don't want this one getting mouldy.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Flound on March 28, 2014, 10:17:57 PM
Do you have the make instructions with goats milk?

I may be coming into some goats milk tomorrow. Turns out there's a vendor at the Seaport Farmers market here in Halifax....
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 29, 2014, 04:08:20 AM
The make would be the same, except drop the lipase and replace 10-20% of the cow's milk with your goat's milk.  Proceed as normal.  Let us know how it turns out for you if you make it.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Pete S on March 29, 2014, 11:36:38 AM
  I just used straight fresh goats milk ,leaving out the lipase and lowering the temp. accordingly.

It is 2 weeks  old and is in the cave so it will be a while till I know how it turns out.

                                                                                                                   Pete
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on March 29, 2014, 07:55:45 PM
Hi Pete S,

That should be interesting.  Bitto is a mixed milk cheese, with 10 - 20% goats milk being the minimum and maximum - but it also has to be milk from the proper mountain regions, and from breeds of goats that live there (many of which are now endangered).  So, nothing we do can be "real", so our own creations are often the most interesting.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on April 12, 2014, 03:33:34 AM
There was a crack in the rind, but it looks more like it was poked with something.  I don't recall dropping it, but it looks like it hit the edge of a chopstick.  Anyway, that corrupted the rind, and sure enough, there's been a blue incursion.  So, this morning I cut that out, and I think I've got it (so it doesn't progress through the cheese).  I then filled the hole with regular table salt (to sterilize the wound, so to speak) and will dump the excess salt later this after noon.  Will see how that goes.  If it looks to be progressing, I may not be able to age this one much longer, so I'll try it young and see if it is one I might make again (who am I kidding, of course I will, if it's good, I'll make it, if I'm not pleased, I'll just assume it was too young and will try again.)

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Matthewcraig on April 12, 2014, 08:23:52 AM
a remember reading this article and i though someone may find it interesting, i also presume you are not planning on ageing it for 15 years  ;D http://travel.cnn.com/hong-kong/eat/oldest-cheese-world-225287 (http://travel.cnn.com/hong-kong/eat/oldest-cheese-world-225287)
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on April 12, 2014, 08:49:35 PM
Hi Matthew,

Yah, I saw some other articles about it being aged up to 10 years, but didn't see this one.  I don't think I'll take it out quite that long given the hole in it!  I think this one will be eaten quite soon, actually, given the imperfection.  The 2nd one, though, I'll take out a year I suspect.  I might make one and hide it on myself for a few years.  seems to work well with my keys anyway. ha!

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Flound on April 12, 2014, 11:41:44 PM
Every time I read this thread, Peter Gabriel's 'Biko' runs through my head...
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on May 21, 2014, 06:20:19 AM
Hi,

Well, because there was rind corruption, with blue mould filling in the hole, I decided this one needed to be cut into early.  Recommended minimum ageing is 70 days, and it's now 73 days old, so under the knife.  The paste is much drier than a meso cheese of the same age, but it has a very nice flavour, no bitterness, definitely in the swiss type.  I will be making another one of these to age out much longer.  I've got some small eye formation, due to the prop. shermi added (even though the package says it is supposed to be low gass producing strain, it's clearly not no gas!)   Rind is edible, a bit chewy but no off flavours (it stayed quite clean, so not attacked by wild moulds).  Best news is that the blue mould has not gotten into the cheese itself!  The internal paste is solid (despite the eyes) and has kept the mould at bay.  I bet this would be great melted on a ham sandwhich. MMmmmmm!

Anyway, thank you Deejay Debbie for posting this years ago.  It will be made again.  Nice.

Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: GlabrousD on May 21, 2014, 07:45:40 AM
Yet another fantastic looking cheese Jeff. AC2U.

The rind looks delicious... something nice to gnaw on with a beer and some pork scratchings I feel... well that would be my preference anyhow :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Boofer on May 21, 2014, 12:49:38 PM
Good job, Jeff. Yum. A cheese for this effort.

Yeah, where's the ham? ;)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: H-K-J on May 21, 2014, 01:39:17 PM
Nice Jeff :) pastrami and rye bread would go well with this also yum yum!!
AC4U  ;D
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: jwalker on May 21, 2014, 03:35:31 PM
Another great cheese by the "Hammster".   ;D

Looks good , A cheese to you !

The rind is edible , but is it good ?
Would natural rind be the only way to go with this , or do you think it would be as good waxed or coated ?

Only wondering , because I hate having to waste any cheese by cutting off rind , I coat or wax most of mine for that reason , but sometimes they're just not the same.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on May 21, 2014, 06:11:34 PM
Thanks everyone! 

Yes, pastrami would be great too H-K-J!  I'm not one to turn down a second sandwich, so bring 'em on! :)

And jwalker, the rind is good.  It's chewy, but quite tasty.  I do a lot of wild rinds, and you don't lose much when you cut them off (the moulds don't penetrate that far) but the flavour they impart goes throughout.  Waxing or coating means, in one respect, you're throwing out an entire cheese worth of flavours.

But, in the end, it's an empirical question.  You must make four, wax one, cream coat one, vac seal one, and natural rind for the other.  Then, let us know which is best! :)

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: Geodyne on May 21, 2014, 08:38:58 PM
Lovely looking cheese, Jeff, as always.

As for the challenge...I'm short of cheese-making time as I'm in a crazy busy time between now and the end of the year, but that's just the kind of thing I like to do. :D
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: GlabrousD on May 22, 2014, 05:44:53 AM
You must make four, wax one, cream coat one, vac seal one, and natural rind for the other.  Then, let us know which is best! :)

Oh for Heaven's sake! I already have Cave Deficiency Syndrome... the FLW won't let me convert a spare room to a cave and we already have four fridges... Aaaaargh! :)

Cheers, GD.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on May 22, 2014, 06:05:39 PM
:)  Actually, I'm wondering if the Prop.Shermi should be left out.  Bitto doesn't have eyes, and it is treated with a wash to form a b.linens schmeir rind (see Alp's wonderful threads on how to do this in the swiss board).  Also, the lipase could be upped in this one a bit.

Regardless, this is a good cheese as is.  I might try tweaking a few bits on the next make, but this is a  really good starting point.

- Jeff

Hmm, now as I read even more on this cheese, perhaps the small eyes are ok?  In the following, it mentions that, when young, it has small eyes like a bird's eye pattern, which fill in as the paste ages (fills up with a dense liquid apparently).  Still, all the images I've seen are very flat disk cheeses (around 7 - 10 kg disks), with no signs of large swelling.  My general inclination though, is that perhaps the Pro. Shermi is not required if you have raw milk, which will have a more diverse collection of natural micro flora.  A very small amount is probably ok here, but I'm now thinking the dry salting method, and a schmeir rind, is probably the way to go; especially if you can make a larger wheel than I.

http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Bitto_Valtellina_cheese (http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Bitto_Valtellina_cheese)
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: scasnerkay on October 25, 2014, 06:36:28 PM
Jeff - In the first image with the weights on top of the form, what are you using to press on top of the curds? Did you make something that fits inside the microperf caciotta form?
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on October 25, 2014, 08:54:34 PM
The mould is lined with cheesecloth, and there's a follower placed on top.  Then, I've used Duplo (large sized leggo) to build a small platform and to help reduce "tilting" as it just fits inside the mould.  Then, the weights sit on top of the duplo platform.
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: scasnerkay on October 25, 2014, 10:02:12 PM
I was trying to ask about the follower actually.... Did you make it out of something or did you have one from another form that works?
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: JeffHamm on October 26, 2014, 03:04:02 AM
The follower came with the mould.  The Duplo I borrowed from my kids.  The weights are just free weights, and the ones you can see are 5kg each.  Inside the mould are also 2 weights of 2.5 kg each.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Bitto
Post by: amiriliano on October 30, 2014, 02:25:42 AM
Look at that perfect knit! Gave you a cheese!