provolone cheese

The name “provolone” for most consumers in our country is exotic. He is not wildly popular, but most likely this is a consequence of the fact that this product appeared on the shelves of domestic stores only a few years ago.

The name of this variety of cheese comes from the Neapolitan word “provola”, which means “spherical shape”. Provolone is a low-fat hard cheese that belongs to the pasta filata family, which translates from Italian as “thread mass”. This type of cheese is a close relative of mozzarella.

History of creation

The first mention of this cheese dates back to the Middle Ages. Today this cheese is a symbol of united Italy. Provolone is native to southern Italy, specifically the Basilicata Valley. Currently, the bulk of this cheese is produced mainly in the Lombardy region, in northern Italy.

There is even a legend about how the provolone “moved” to the northern regions. One day, a cheese maker from the south convinced the inhabitants of the northern valley of Padana to taste the exceptionally delicious southern cheese. Northerners liked Provolone so much that they began to make it from the milk of local Frison cows. At the same time, this happened on such a scale that provolone from the Italian north flooded the entire Italian market, and the northerners became leaders in its production.

There is another, more worldly, explanation for this “resettlement”: many Italian cheese makers of the 19th century moved from the south to the Padan Valley due to the fact that in the north there were better conditions for raising dairy cows, and, accordingly, there were more raw materials for production.

Currently, this type of cheese is produced in large volumes in Lombardy (the northern region of Italy), as well as in the USA and South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay).

Production technology

Provolone is made from cow’s milk. The milk collected in the Middle Ages reached the cheese factories already sour to one degree or another. To stabilize the clot after curdling, the Italian cheese makers of those times came up with a special technology. After adding rennet (rennet), the milk was heated almost to a boil, which contributed to its curdling. After folding, the clot was placed in hot water, and then thoroughly kneaded and pulled out. As a result of these actions, the texture of the cheese changed: it became threadlike.

The cheese was then salted by soaking in sea water. Having tied the head of cheese formed and soaked in brine with twine, it was hung up in order to remove excess moisture. Therefore, the classic cheese, made according to the ancient technology, has an easily recognizable pear-shaped shape with vertical grooves from the twine with which it is suspended. Today you can find provolone in various forms, by which you can even determine in which region it was made.

The taste of the product varies from delicate sweetish to salty with a specific aftertaste. Accordingly, there are three varieties of it, which have technological features of production:

1. Dolce is a sweet variety with a velvety texture. The rennet for this variety is extracted from the stomach of a calf. Ripens within 2-3 months.
2. Piccante is a salty variety with a dense texture interspersed with calcium. The taste of this cheese is sharp and rich, often with a hint of almonds. To obtain the enzyme, the stomach of a lamb or goat is used. Ripens at least 4 months (up to one year).
3. Affumate is a smoked salty cheese with a smoked flavor and a sooty crust. It is made by smoking salted cheese in maple and oak smoke.

Modern technology is not fundamentally different from the medieval one and also includes several successive stages. In modern syvovarny, the process of its production is often mechanized.

Composition of the product

Provolone, like any other hard cheese, is, first of all, a concentrated fermented milk product in which all chemicals and compounds are dissolved. Naturally, provolone contains a lot of milk protein. A feature of milk protein is that it is complete in its composition, that is, it contains all the essential (essential) amino acids that the human body needs to synthesize its own protein molecules.

By the amount of fat contained in provolone, this cheese is classified as low-fat. 100 g of the finished product contains about 26 g of fat, which corresponds to approximately 40% fat in terms of dry matter. At the same time, 65% of these fats are represented by saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, and 35% are mono- and polyunsaturated.

As a result of prolonged lactic fermentation, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins (A, D, E, C, group B) accumulate in the cheese mass. Cheese is rich in various macro- and microelements: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, selenium.

The calorie content of provolone is 351 kcal per 100 g.

Useful Properties

The most useful type of provolone is dolce, because it contains a minimum amount of salt. It is he who is recommended by doctors for the daily presence on the table of most people. Frequent consumption of provolone dolce in food is useful for malnourished and weakened people, pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and the elderly.

It is a source of complete protein and calcium, therefore, it contributes to the rapid recovery of patients with bone fractures and other injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Fatty acids contained in cheese are a source of energy, improve digestion, restore the sheath of nerve cells, promote the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Due to the rich vitamin and mineral composition of provolone:

• increases immunity;
• normalizes metabolism;
• improves the condition of the skin and its appendages (hair, nails);
• favorably affects cardiovascular activity;
• has a calming effect on the nervous system;
• normalizes hormones;
• relieves stress and excessive excitement;
• stimulates hematopoietic function;
• protects the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

Fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals in cheese are contained in bioavailable forms, so they are almost completely absorbed by the human body.

Possible harm

In the process of making cheeses, there is an obligatory salting step – this is a way to preserve the product. The harmful properties of provolone are largely due to the presence of sodium and chlorine components in the cheese mass. Since the moisture content of the cheese decreases during long-term storage, and, accordingly, the salt concentration in 100 g of the finished product increases, provolone piccante is considered more harmful. Due to its high salt content, cheese is not recommended for people with:

• high blood pressure;
• tendency to puffiness;
• impaired renal excretory function;
• overweight;
• gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

Smoked provolone should not be included in the diet of children, the elderly, patients with diseases of the pancreas and liver.

Protein load is contraindicated in people with disorders of purine and uric acid metabolism. Therefore, the use of provolone should be sharply limited to people suffering from urolithiasis and gout.

The high content of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids in cheese makes it an undesirable product on the table of patients with vascular atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and transient ischemic attacks.

Cheese is also contraindicated for use with individual intolerance to its components. Care should be taken to include smoked provolone in the diet if a person has a food allergy.

Cooking application

The exquisite taste of the Italian provolone cheese was enjoyed by gourmets. Dolce cheese is used mainly as a dessert or a light aperitif. It goes well with light wines and fruits.

Piccante is used for salads with olive oil, pizza, appetizers, second and first courses. Due to its ability to melt well, Provolone Piccante is often used as a substitute for Parmesan in omelettes, hot sandwiches, pizza, and lasagne.

Smoked affumate is used as an independent snack or for cutting in a cheese plate.

How to choose and store

Provolone is rarely seen on the shelves in our stores, so in order to enjoy a real high-quality Italian product, you need to be able to choose it correctly. First of all, you need to carefully study the label. It must be translated into Russian. It must have a quality mark – DOP, the presence of which indicates the original origin of the product. You also need to find information about the date of production and the expiration date of the cheese, the conditions for its storage.

Provolone is a perishable product, so it should be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of +2° to +6°C for 180 days. So that the crust does not dry out on the surface of the cheese, during storage it must be rubbed with vegetable oil (preferably olive oil).

The exotic name of the cheese and its piquant taste should not become an obstacle in order to enjoy it. Once on the table of a cheese connoisseur, this noble Italian fermented milk product will never disappear from his diet. In order not to spoil the first impression, Provolone should be bought only in branded stores with natural Italian products.