I have been searching and cannot find how to make a Castello, although I have found a couple of articles which mention that Castle Blue is similar.
If anyone could post one which they have tried successfully I would be very grateful.
I think Morris has a recipe in her book. What I've used in the past:
At least double cream milk.
Heat to 36C
Add any general meso (FD, MM100 etc), a general thermo to stabilise and PA (Danisco blue)
Ripen until pH drop of 0.15
Add rennet, set 1 hour
1/2" cut
Heal 15 minutes.
Heat to 40C over 15 minutes, stir gently.
Cook until the pH is below 6.25, stir every 15 minutes. This should take about an hour.
Hoop, turn every 30 minutes until firmed up
Drain overnight
Rub dry salt over it on day 2 and return to hoop to keep from deforming.
Dehoop on day 3, spike.
Mature at 12C for a few weeks
Scrub exterior to keep the mould down.
Thanks Francois, I must try and get a copy of her book.
In the meantime I will give it a go as per your details. (The PH is going to be guesswork as I don't have a meter)
If you are using powder culture, ripen for 90 minutes. Follow the other times I outlined and you should be fine. The critical ingredient is PA. That is the blue used in Castello.
Thanks again, By PA I assume you mean Penicillium roqueforti.
PA is a specific strain of roqueforti. It's a Danisco product.