Pasta Filata Cheese vs Saint-Nectaire Cheese
Pasta Filata Cheese is a soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous cow or buffalo-milk cheese, while Saint-Nectaire Cheese is soft and tender and made from cow milk, originating in France.
What Is Pasta Filata Cheese?
Pasta filata is the Italian spun-curd technique behind mozzarella, provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza. Fresh curd is kneaded in hot water until it turns soft, elastic and stringy, which gives the finished cheese its fibrous structure.
What Is Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
Saint-Nectaire is a pressed cow's milk cheese from the volcanic hills around the Monts-Dore in Auvergne, France. It ages on rye straw for at least 28 days and is known for its soft, creamy paste and hint of hazelnut.
What's the Difference Between Pasta Filata Cheese and Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
- Milk type: Pasta Filata Cheese (cow, water buffalo), Saint-Nectaire Cheese (Cow’s milk (Holstein, Montbéliarde, sometimes Salers))
- Texture: Pasta Filata Cheese (soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous), Saint-Nectaire Cheese (Soft and tender)
- Aging: Pasta Filata Cheese (fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza), Saint-Nectaire Cheese (At least twenty-eight days)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Pasta Filata Cheese | Saint-Nectaire Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | — | France |
| Specific Origin | Italy | Massif Du Sancy, Auvergne |
| Milk Type | Cow, water buffalo | Cow’s milk (Holstein, Montbéliarde, sometimes Salers) |
| Milk Treatment | — | Raw for fermier, pasteurized for laitier |
| Texture | Soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous | Soft and tender |
| Rind | — | Washed-rind |
| Aging | Fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza | At least twenty-eight days |
| Taste | — | Delicate hazelnut |
Taste Comparison: Does Pasta Filata Cheese Taste Like Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Pasta Filata Cheese at fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza develops a different profile than Saint-Nectaire Cheese at at least twenty-eight days.
Can You Substitute Pasta Filata Cheese for Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
Pasta Filata Cheese can stand in for Saint-Nectaire Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous bite and body where the recipe calls for soft and tender.
Which Is Better, Pasta Filata Cheese or Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous cheese, go with Pasta Filata Cheese. For a soft and tender profile, Saint-Nectaire Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pasta Filata Cheese the same as Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Pasta Filata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk; Saint-Nectaire Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Pasta Filata Cheese is typically aged fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza, Saint-Nectaire Cheese at least twenty-eight days.
Is Pasta Filata Cheese similar to Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Pasta Filata Cheese for Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Pasta Filata Cheese taste like Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Pasta Filata Cheese made of?
Pasta Filata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk. It's typically aged fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
What is Saint-Nectaire Cheese made of?
Saint-Nectaire Cheese is made from cow milk (raw for fermier, pasteurized for laitier). It's typically aged at least twenty-eight days. It originates in France.
Which should I choose, Pasta Filata Cheese or Saint-Nectaire Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous, while Saint-Nectaire Cheese is soft and tender.