Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano

Rate it

Formaggio di fossa is an Italian pit cheese from Sogliano al Rubicone in Emilia-Romagna, made from sheep's, cow's or mixed milk. It is buried in bags inside tufa pits for 80 to 100 days, which gives it a sharp, herbaceous taste.

Key Facts

Country of Origin	Italy
Specific Origin	Provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Rimini, Ravenna, Pesaro-Urbino, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli Piceno, and part of Bologna.
Protection	PDO (2006)
Milk Type	Sheep, cow, a mixture of the two, or rarely buffalo
Milk Treatment	Raw or pasteurized whole milk.
Fat Content	Exceeds 32% in dry matter.
Moisture Content	Not Specified.
Rind	Minimal or no rind.
Texture	Semi-hard, crumbles easily.
Flavor	Aromatic, fragrant, intense, slightly pungent for sheep's milk; subtle, delicate, moderately salty, slightly acidic for cow's milk; balanced between salty and sweet for mixed milk.
Aroma	Characteristic, long-lasting, sometimes intense.
Colors	Ivory white to amber yellow.
Forms	Whole cheeses, portions, vacuum-packed, film-wrapped trays, wrapped in food-grade paper.
Age	80 to 100 days in pits.
Rennet Type	Not Specified.
Also Known As	Formaggio di fossa, Ambra di Talamello

What is Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano Cheese?

Formaggio di fossa, meaning pit cheese, comes from Sogliano al Rubicone in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna. Production dates to the 14th century. Legend says the cheese was discovered by accident, buried in tufa to hide it from raids by Saracens or from soldiers during the First Italian War. The pits doubled as secret storerooms, hiding places for outlaws and stockpiles to steady prices. Producers in the north stress that the cheese was kept from Papal States tax collectors; those in the south say it fed people through sieges.

Antonio Monti, mayor of Talamello and a native of Sogliano al Rubicone, popularised the cheese from the early 1980s. It received DOP status in November 2009. Annual production was estimated at about 112,000 kilograms (247,000 lb) in 2017. The cheese is made between the rivers Rubicon and Marecchia, and the tufa comes from a triangle between Sogliano, Talamello and Sant'Agata Feltria.

The milk usually comes from April and May, when it carries more aroma. After twenty to thirty days of maturing, the wheels go into white cotton, linen or canvas bags, about ten to a bag, each marked with its owner's name. Straw is burned inside the pits to sanitise them and dry them out, the walls are lined with dry straw held by reeds, and planks go at the bottom. Bags are layered in mid-to-late August with as little air between them as possible, then the pit is sealed with plaster, wood and sand. Over 80 to 100 days the cheese softens and loses lactose, water and fat.

The cheese is dirty white, with almost no rind, so mould forms on the surface. The taste starts sweet and delicate, then turns spicy and sometimes bitter, and stays strongly herbaceous, recalling the straw in the pit. Ambra di Talamello is sweeter, closer to amber or light gold, with scents of mushroom and steamed chestnut. Fossa from Perticara is sweeter still. Pecorino matured in the pits carries hints of mould and truffle.

In Sogliano the pits are opened on Saint Catherine's Day, 25 November, with cultural fairs on Sundays through the month. Perticara unearths its cheese on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November, using a chisel and mallet on the lid. Once opened, the cheese keeps best wrapped in cotton cloth in the refrigerator, and it should be served at room temperature. Eat it as an appetiser or dessert with acacia or chestnut honey, caramelised figs, fresh fruit or jam, or use it in ravioli, risotto, gnocchi, passatelli and cappelletti, or grated over pasta. It goes with Sangiovese di Romagna and Valpolicella wines.