Bitto Cheese vs Kasseri Cheese
Bitto Cheese
Kasseri Cheese
Bitto Cheese is a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cow and goat-milk cheese from Italy, while Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard and made from goat and sheep milk, originating in Greece.
What Is Bitto Cheese?
Bitto is a raw-milk PDO cheese from the alpine pastures of Sondrio in Lombardy, made only between 1 June and 30 September from cow's milk, sometimes with up to 10 percent goat's milk. Young wheels taste mild and sweet, and some are aged for years.
What Is Kasseri Cheese?
Kasseri is a pale yellow, medium-hard to hard Greek cheese made from sheep milk with at most 20% goat's milk. It belongs to the pasta filata family and is best known as the cheese in saganaki and kasseropita.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Kasseri Cheese?
- Origin: Bitto Cheese (Italy), Kasseri Cheese (Greece)
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Kasseri Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk)
- Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Kasseri Cheese (Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized)
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Kasseri Cheese (Firm to hard)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Kasseri Cheese (Develops as ages)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months)
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Kasseri Cheese (Rich)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Kasseri Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Greece |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Lesbos |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Goat's and sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Firm to hard |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Develops as ages |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | At least 3 months |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Rich |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Kasseri Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Kasseri Cheese brings rich character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Kasseri Cheese leans toward rich, complex flavors, buttery texture, flowery aroma when aged. similar to asiago and parmigiano reggiano when aged 10+ months.. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months.
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Kasseri Cheese?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Kasseri Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year bite and body where the recipe calls for firm to hard. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Kasseri Cheese brings rich notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Kasseri Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cheese, go with Bitto Cheese. For a firm to hard profile, Kasseri Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Kasseri Cheese fits dishes calling for rich.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Kasseri Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese originates in Italy, while Kasseri Cheese comes from Greece. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Kasseri Cheese uses goat and sheep. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Kasseri Cheese at least 3 months.
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Kasseri Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Kasseri Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Kasseri Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Kasseri Cheese is rich.
What is Bitto Cheese made of?
Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk (raw), using calf rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 70 days. It originates in Italy.
What is Kasseri Cheese made of?
Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk (traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged at least 3 months. It originates in Greece.
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Kasseri Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Bitto Cheese is fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year, while Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard.