Manchego cheese is a type of hard cheese. This Spanish cheese is made from sheep’s milk exclusively in Castile – La Mancha. At the same time, milk of a certain breed of sheep is used to make the product. Cheese makers use pre-pasteurized milk, but sometimes fresh milk is also used. Outwardly, it does not have any special differences: the cheese head has the shape of a cylinder, the weight of which is about 2 kilograms. The diameter of the head is approximately 25 centimeters, and the width is 10-12 centimeters. The cheese itself has a dense structure, white or not saturated yellow.
The taste and aroma of Manchego is simply unique. A young product matures for about 4 months, and a mature product can be aged for up to a year. The taste of young Manchego is delicate and slightly sour, while mature cheese has a more pronounced and rich taste. The pulp of the cheese consists of small holes.
Manchego cheese matures in caves, which gives it a special piquant taste. Due to the fact that Manchego is wrapped in a special fabric during the manufacturing process, a pattern is displayed on the inedible surface. The idea of embossing has been preserved since the days when cheeses were wrapped in a cloth made from esparto grass.
Manchego cheese is pressed using wooden boards. Due to this, an imprint is left on the top and bottom of the cheese that resembles wheat. This gives the Spanish product a special appearance.
As mentioned earlier, the pulp of the product does not have a pronounced bright shade, but the color of the crust can be either light brown or dark gray. The intensity of the flavor depends on the aging.
Manchego has a special salty taste. Cream cheese has a bit of piquancy and leaves a specific aftertaste. This variety can be remotely compared with feta. But it is not so soft and salty. As well as some varieties of wine, ham and olive oil, Manchego has been awarded a Protected Geographical Indication. This certificate guarantees full control of the production process, control that only certain sheep’s milk is used in the manufacture of products, as well as that the period and place of aging are strictly defined and indicated.
Composition and Properties
The composition of Manchego includes many vitamins and minerals necessary for a person. Among the vitamins, vitamins of groups B, E, C, A and D are identified. Among the minerals are calcium, sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Also, the product contains a lot of amino acids and proteins, which are essential for people involved in active sports.
Calorie content – 395 kilocalories per 100 grams of product. If we consider the energy value, then the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is as follows:
- proteins – 96 kilocalories;
- fats – 288 kilocalories;
- carbohydrates – 10 kilocalories.
Cooking application
Manchego is used as an independent snack, and it is also added to all kinds of dishes: salads, first courses, main courses, sauces. Excellent Manchego cheese is combined with pastries and bakery products. It is usually served with red wine and sherry.
It is also often combined with a Spanish cracker, salmon or lamb. The use of cheese with hard quince paste and beer is also popular.
Traditionally in Spain slices of Manchego and tomatoes are placed on toast rubbed with garlic. A little olive oil is often added to such croutons.
Often this variety is used in the preparation of sauces. Some gourmets claim that it pairs perfectly with fresh bread, sausage and olives. Manchego can also be served with honey as an unusual and memorable dessert.
This cheese is very popular in Mexico and USA (Spanish speaking regions). But such cheese is more suitable for melting.
Appetizer Recipe with Manchego
To prepare a snack, you will need 225 grams of cheese, 110 grams of butter, 3 tablespoons of honey, buns, a few walnuts and salt. In this recipe, it is better to use sea salt. Melt the butter in a saucepan and heat until golden brown. After that, honey should be added to the oil. Manchego should be cut into slices, put on buns, poured with creamy honey sauce, sprinkled with sea salt and garnished with nuts.