Murazzano

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Murazzano is a PDO cheese from the Alta Langa hills in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. It is made mostly from the milk of a native Langhe sheep breed, with up to 40 percent cow's milk, and can be eaten after only four days of ripening.

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Key Facts

Country of Origin	Italy
Specific Origin	Piedmont region, specifically Murazzano town
Protection	PDO (1996)
Milk Type	Ewe’s (up to 60%) and Cow’s (up to 40%)
Milk Treatment	Raw
Rind	Washed, very thin, sometimes bloomy
Texture	Fresh
Flavor	Sweet to savory
Aroma	Milk and cream-like
Colors	White or ivory-white
Forms	Cylindrical and flat, 4-6 inches wide, 1.2-1.6 inches high
Age	4–10 days to 2 months
Rennet Type	Liquid rennet

What is Murazzano Cheese?

Murazzano is an Italian PDO cheese made mainly from sheep's milk in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. The name was first protected by an Italian decree in December 1982. In June 1996 it was recognized at European level as a protected designation of origin. Its production area covers the whole territory of about fifty municipalities in the Alta Langa, from Murazzano itself to Cortemilia, Bossolasco, Ceva and Saliceto.

A local legend explains how highly the cheese was valued. A boy from Murazzano named Giovannino was left to watch a few wheels, got distracted, and a big black crow stole some of them. He chased the bird into witch country near Ceva, ate a meal laid out in an empty hut, and was confronted by the devil, who turned out to be the crow. Giovannino tipped him into a well and traded his help for the stolen cheese and a little money on top.

Production is simple. The milk is warmed to 37 degrees and set with liquid rennet. After coagulation the curd is placed in small cylindrical molds with perforated bases so the whey can drain, and it rests there for at least 24 hours before salting. Ripening runs a minimum of four days, though wheels are sometimes held much longer.

The form is cylindrical with flat faces, 10 to 15 cm across, and each one weighs between 300 and 400 g. The rind is washed and very thin, closer to a skin, sometimes with a light bloom. It runs milk-white on fresh wheels and pale straw on older ones, browning as they age. The paste is tender, often shows small eyes, and feels dry on the palate. Long aging pushes the taste toward a bitter edge.

It is a classic Piedmontese toma or robiola, good on the table with reds such as Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Ovada and Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato. Murazzano is also the starting point for bruss, the Bruz di Murazzano, a fermented cheese kept in traditional airtight glass jars called burnie in dialect.