Formaggio di fossa

What is Formaggio di fossa Cheese?

Formaggio di fossa comes from Sogliano al Rubicone in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, and its production dates to the 14th century. By legend it was discovered by chance, after farmers buried cheese in tufa to keep it from raiders, from Saracens to the armies of the First Italian War, and found it changed months later. The pits also served as secret storerooms, hiding places for outlaws, and stockpiles to steady prices. Antonio Monti, mayor of Talamello, brought the cheese wider attention in the early 1980s. It received DOP status in November 2009, and annual production was estimated at about 112,000 kilograms (247,000 lb) in 2017.

The cheese is made from sheep's milk, cow's milk, a mixture of the two, or rarely buffalo milk, usually milk from April and May, when it carries more aroma. After twenty to thirty days of maturing, the wheels go into cotton, linen, or canvas bags, roughly ten to a bag, each marked with the owner's name. Large amounts of straw are burned in the pits to sanitise them and drive out humidity. The walls are then lined with dry straw held up by reeds, planks are laid on the floor, and the bags are packed in with as little air between them as possible. Plaster, wood, and sand seal the pit for 80 to 100 days. Sogliano unearths the cheese on Saint Catherine's Day, 25 November; Perticara opens its pits on Saint Martin's Day, 11 November.

Fossa looks dirty white and has almost no rind, so mould forms easily on the surface. The taste begins sweet and delicate, then builds into spice and sometimes bitterness, with a herbaceous edge that recalls the straw in the pit. Wheels stacked higher in the pit come out creamier. Ambra di Talamello, made with sheep's milk, goat's milk, or both, is sweeter, closer to amber or light gold, with scents of mushroom and steamed chestnut. Fossa from Perticara is sweeter still.

Serve it at room temperature, as an appetiser or a dessert with acacia or chestnut honey, caramelised figs, fresh fruit, or fruit jam. It also goes into ravioli, risotto, gnocchi, passatelli, and cappelletti, or grated over pasta. Sangiovese di Romagna and Valpolicella wines suit it. Once opened, wrap it in a cotton cloth and keep it refrigerated.