The traditional production of Raschera cheese

(Second part)

• The origin of Raschera
• How it's produced
• Where it's produced
• Who produces it
• Who seasons it
• Where it can be bought
• The profile
• Raschera on the table

• Back

The various steps of production described above create the round cheese.

The following description is for the square form: cows milk (sometimes goat or sheep's milk is added to give the cheese a spicier taste), which comes from two milkings, (morning and night) and brought to a temperature of 27-30 ° centigrade, liquid rennet added in quantities which are considered optimum. The milk then curdles and is subsequently broken up with a spatula 'spanuira' then, for at least five mins. the beating takes place with a 'sbatarela' .The curds which have seperated from the serum are then collected 'prod' with slow circular movements.

This curd, having been seperated from the serum, is put into a hemp cloth called 'curuira' which allows it to drain. After approximately 10 mins, still wrapped in the cloth, it is put into cylindrical forms with a diameter of 35-40 cm (called 'fascele') which have small holes around the sides to allow any remaining serum to drain away with a weight on top to make sure all the serum is released. After about 10 mins the 'fascele' are opened and the curd is worked by hand until all the lumps are broken up.

At this point it is put back into the form still in the cloth under the weight and left for a day, turning it over every hour, then taken out of the 'fascela' and still wrapped in the cloth it is put into a

parallelepiped form (tub) made with planks of wood.

In the 'tub' the cheese is covered with a piece of wood, weighted and left for 4-5 days so that it moulds into an irregular square shape; it is dry salted on all lateral sides during compression and is regularly turned over; the two other faces of the cheese are salted only after it is taken out of the 'tub'.

On completion of the salting process, the cheese is now square and ready to be put into the maturing rooms which, as in the case of the round cheese, takes place in a 'sella' if in the mountains or in a cellar if on the plains, depending on the area of production. Also in this case the minimum time for maturing is one month. Generally the square RASCHERA is tastier than the round one.

The mountain RASCHERA is mainly produced in the square form.

In the Ass. Cheese Factories, only transformers, the square shape is prevailing (more than 90% of production is square shaped).