Semi-cured sheep cheese has a ripening period of 2 to 3 months. Perfect for all of you who like cheese but not too strong flavors: semi-cured is the perfect balance.
Type of milk used
Semi-cured cheese allows the quality and flavor of the milk to be enjoyed much better, especially if it is raw sheep’s milk.
Raw sheep’s milk has not been subjected to any treatment prior to cheese making, so it has all the bacteria typical of sheep’s milk and its flavor will be much more characteristic.
This means that the cheese cannot be consumed until 60 days after its production.
Rennet
Semi-cured sheep’s cheese is a hard cheese, obtained by using selected lamb rennet.
It is obtained through natural processes from the stomach of the lamb, and in its case, the kid, contributing to its flavor and texture.
Natural bark
As with all our sheep cheeses, the traditional rind is marked on the natural rind.
Without any chemical treatment, the natural rind of our sheep cheeses is totally edible.
Ivory-yellowish in color, achieved by brushing the naturally occurring penicillium mold and coating it with olive oil.
Maturation
To understand what a semi-cured cheese is, we should first learn what “cured” means.
Curing is surely the most important period to achieve every nuance of flavor and texture in the cheese.
During this time, the texture of the cheese and the flavor of the milk will evolve: the milk flavor will disappear as the cheese ages.
It is drier than fresh cheese but still has more moisture than aged cheeses. You can still appreciate the flavor of high quality raw milk that we have used for its production.
Conservation
The preservation of the cheese is also very important to enjoy its authentic flavor to the fullest.
It is a living product and therefore needs to breathe. Each cheese should be stored individually and at the bottom of the refrigerator because cheese does not withstand very cold temperatures.
Finally, to taste this semi-cured sheep cheese, it is best to take it out of the refrigerator 50 minutes before tasting.
How to cut
Obviously, there are different ways to cut cheese. But we want to advise you. At La Antigua, we like to use a special knife for soft cheese because it prevents the cheese from sticking to the knife blade.
On the other hand, the two-handled knives allow us to cut the cheese without much effort. Since semi-cured cheese is not as dry as aged cheese, it is easier to cut.
In the kitchen
This cheese is also perfect for cooking. It allows the cheese flavor to be added to a dish without masking the flavor of other ingredients.
Cheese is the last touch a dish needs to become a perfect dish.
Pairing
Who is cheese’s best friend? Wine, of course !
If semi-cured cheese is a good ally in the kitchen, it is also a good ally with wines.
It is not a dry cheese, so it can be paired with dry or semi-dry white wines and also with cava, as it will contrast with its softness.
However, cheese has another friend: beer. Semi-cured cheeses can be paired with blond beer and its cereal flavor and also with the caramelized flavor of amber beer, which adds a more marked touch to this semi-cured cheese.
Recipes : #Quesococina
Warm pump of sheep’s cheese sesame glazed apple and veal carpaccio
Breast of pork sandwiches with quince jelly and semi-cured sheep’s cheese
Tiramisu with semi-cured sheep cheese
