Caciocavallo Silano Cheese

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About Caciocavallo Silano Cheese

Caciocavallo Silano is a semi-hard stretched-curd cheese from Italy. It is made using raw cow's milk, which may be thermised. The cheese has a distinct ovoid or truncated cone shape, sometimes with a "stalk," and can also be cylindrical or parallelepipedal for packaging purposes. The rind is thin, smooth, and straw yellow, while the paste is homogeneous and compact with small holes. The flavor is aromatic and pleasant, becoming more pungent as it ages. Caciocavallo Silano must be matured for at least 30 days, with longer maturation periods labeled as "EXTRA" or "GRAN RISERVA." The cheese is traditionally produced in several regions of southern Italy, including Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, and Basilicata.

Key Facts

Country of Origin Italy
Specific Origin Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, and Basilicata
Protection PDO (1996)
Milk Type Cow's milk
Milk Treatment Raw, may be thermised
Fat Content Not less than 38% of the dry matter
Rind Thin, smooth, straw yellow color
Texture Homogeneous, compact, with very small holes
Flavor Aromatic, pleasant, melts in the mouth, mild when young, pungent when aged
Aroma Aromatic
Colors White or straw yellow paste, darker on the outside and lighter on the inside
Forms Ovoid, truncated cone, cylindrical, parallelepipedal
Age Minimum 30 days; "EXTRA" for at least 4 months, "GRAN RISERVA" for at least 9 months
Rennet Type Calf or kid rennet paste
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