Bitto Cheese vs Urdă Cheese

Q: Is Bitto Cheese the same as Urdă Cheese?

No. Bitto Cheese and Urdă Cheese are distinct cheeses from Italy and Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine respectively. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Urdă Cheese?

In most recipes you can swap Bitto Cheese for Urdă Cheese, though the result will shift in richness and milk character.

Q: Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Urdă Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Bitto Cheese

Urdă 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 Urdă Cheese is creamy, delicate and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, originating in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.

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 Urdă Cheese?

Urdă is a whey cheese made across Southeast Europe and in Hungary by boiling the whey drained from other cheeses. The paste is finely grained and silky, and most of it ends up in desserts and filled pastries.

What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Urdă Cheese?

Origin: Bitto Cheese (Italy), Urdă Cheese (Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine)
Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Urdă Cheese (cow's, goat's or sheep's milk)
Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Urdă Cheese (unpasteurized)
Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Urdă Cheese (Creamy, delicate)
Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Urdă Cheese (Yellowish)
Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Urdă Cheese (Up to 360 days)
Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Urdă Cheese (High quality)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Bitto Cheese	Urdă Cheese
Country of Origin	Italy	Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia And Ukraine
Specific Origin	Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo	North Pindos, Konitsa
Milk Type	Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%	Cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
Milk Treatment	Raw	Unpasteurized
Texture	Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year	Creamy, delicate
Rind	Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age	Yellowish
Aging	Minimum of 70 days	Up to 360 days
Taste	Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age	High quality

Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Urdă Cheese?

Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Urdă Cheese brings high quality character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Urdă Cheese leans toward creamier and superior sensory qualities compared to mizithra. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Urdă Cheese at up to 360 days.

Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Urdă Cheese?

Bitto Cheese can stand in for Urdă 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 creamy, delicate. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Urdă Cheese brings high quality notes.

Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Urdă 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 creamy, delicate profile, Urdă 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 Urdă Cheese fits dishes calling for high quality.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bitto Cheese the same as Urdă Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese originates in Italy, while Urdă Cheese comes from Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Urdă Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Urdă Cheese up to 360 days.

Is Bitto Cheese similar to Urdă Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Urdă Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Bitto Cheese taste like Urdă Cheese?

Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Urdă Cheese is high quality.

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 Urdă Cheese made of?

Urdă Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (unpasteurized). It's typically aged up to 360 days. It originates in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.

Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Urdă 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 Urdă Cheese is creamy, delicate.