Product Description

Provolone Valpadana PDO is a semi-hard whole cow’s milk cheese with a smooth rind. It’s produced in Northern Italy and it can be enjoyed in the typologies Dolce or Piccante.

Type of milk: cow

Production Area: Provolone Valpadana PDO is produced in the area within the provinces of Cremona, Brescia, and in a few municipalities in the provinces of Bergamo, Mantua and Lodi in the Lombardy region. It’s also produced in the regions of Veneto (Provinces of Verona, Vicenza, Padua and Rovigo), Trentino Alto Adige (several municipalities in the Province of Trento) and Emilia-Romagna (Province of Piacenza).

Appearance and Taste: Provolone Valpadana PDO comes in a variety of forms and may be shaped like a salami, a melon, a cone or a pear;  it may also have a spherical knob on the top. It can be produced in two typologies: Dolce (mild) and Piccante (strong). Provolone Valpadana PDO has a thin and smooth rind that varies in color from yellow to golden or brownish. The cheese is compact, with the possible presence of eyes, and straw-yellow in color. The Mild cheese has a delicate flavor, which is more pronounced in the strong typology.

Origins:  The word “Provolone” appears in literature for the first time in 1871: “Provolone” literally means a large provola. Provolone Valpadana PDO is different from southern Italian “spun paste” cheeses, such as provola, because of its large size and ability to ripen for long periods without drying out excessively and without therefore becoming a grating cheese. This cheese was born in the second half of the 19^th century, after the unification of Italy, when entrepreneurs from the South moved to the Po Valley. That area, that takes its name from the river Po, offered a great availability of suitable milk for cheese making and also the infrastructure needed to achieve quality products, which paved the way for the evolution of a Provolone produced in different formats.

Production: Two types of Provolone Valpadana PDO are produced, the difference is in the taste: “mild”, produced with calf rennet and aged for a short time, and “strong”, made with lamb rennet and aged for different lengths of time, depending on the size. While modelling the cheese, the cheesemaker has to be careful to keep the outside completely smooth and wrinkle-free with no air or liquid bubbles inside. The modelled cheese curd is then “closed” at the top. This operation requires a great deal of skill and patience. Once it has been given its definitive shape, the cheese is then salted, a process which must be done very carefully to ensure that the salt penetrates evenly. After this, the cheese’s shapes are tied with a suitable string, arranged as tradition dictates and hung up to age in modern stores where the air and humidity are carefully controlled. The maturation period of “Mild” is of 2-3 months, the “strong” one over 4 months.

Gastronomy:  Provolone Valpadana PDO, sliced in different ways depending on its shapes, is a great table cheese but it’s also a key ingredient of many recipes. It should be stored in a cool place and served at room temperature.  Suggested Wine Pairings: Lambrusco, Valpolicella, Barbera d’Asti.