Caciocavallo Cheese vs Cacioricotta Cheese

Caciocavallo Cheese is a firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Cacioricotta Cheese is a cow, goat, and sheep-milk cheese, originating in Italy.

What Is Caciocavallo Cheese?

Caciocavallo is a stretched-curd cheese from southern Italy, made with sheep's or cow's milk and shaped like a teardrop. It has a hard edible rind and tastes much like the aged provolone of the same region.

What Is Cacioricotta Cheese?

Cacioricotta is a southern Italian cheese from Basilicata, Apulia and Calabria, usually made with sheep or goat milk. Its name comes from the hybrid method behind it, which borrows steps from both ricotta and hard cheese making.

What's the Difference Between Caciocavallo Cheese and Cacioricotta Cheese?

• Milk type: Caciocavallo Cheese (cow's milk), Cacioricotta Cheese (Goat's, occasionally Sheep's and Cow's mix)
• Rind: Caciocavallo Cheese (Smooth, thickens with age), Cacioricotta Cheese (None when fresh, straw-color when aged)
• Aging: Caciocavallo Cheese (2 to 12 months, up to 5 years), Cacioricotta Cheese (Fresh or 3 to 6 months)
• Taste: Caciocavallo Cheese (Slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex), Cacioricotta Cheese (Sweet to salty, spicy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Caciocavallo Cheese Taste Like Cacioricotta Cheese?

Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex, while Cacioricotta Cheese brings sweet to salty, spicy character. On the nose, Caciocavallo Cheese offers earthy, contrasted with Cacioricotta Cheese's cooked milk. More specifically, Caciocavallo Cheese shows sweet when young; intensifies and becomes piquant and complex with age, dotted with small crystals, while Cacioricotta Cheese leans toward fresh: cooked milk aroma, sweet ricotta flavor; aged: salty, spicy with goat hints. Aging plays into this as well. Caciocavallo Cheese at 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years develops a different profile than Cacioricotta Cheese at fresh or 3 to 6 months.

Can You Substitute Caciocavallo Cheese for Cacioricotta Cheese?

Caciocavallo Cheese can stand in for Cacioricotta Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Flavor-wise, Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex while Cacioricotta Cheese brings sweet to salty, spicy notes.

Which Is Better, Caciocavallo Cheese or Cacioricotta Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. Flavor-wise, Caciocavallo Cheese suits recipes that want slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex notes, while Cacioricotta Cheese fits dishes calling for sweet to salty, spicy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caciocavallo Cheese the same as Cacioricotta Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Caciocavallo Cheese is made from cow milk; Cacioricotta Cheese uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Caciocavallo Cheese is typically aged 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years, Cacioricotta Cheese fresh or 3 to 6 months.

Is Caciocavallo Cheese similar to Cacioricotta Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Caciocavallo Cheese for Cacioricotta Cheese?

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

Does Caciocavallo Cheese taste like Cacioricotta Cheese?

Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex, while Cacioricotta Cheese is sweet to salty, spicy. Aromas also diverge. Caciocavallo Cheese leans earthy, and Cacioricotta Cheese is closer to cooked milk.

What is Caciocavallo Cheese made of?

Caciocavallo Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years. It originates in Italy.

What is Cacioricotta Cheese made of?

Cacioricotta Cheese is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk (heated), using added after cooling to 38 to 40°c rennet. It's typically aged fresh or 3 to 6 months. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Caciocavallo Cheese or Cacioricotta Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.