A dairy product in all respects, Casera belongs to the II fundamental group of foods: nutritional sources of proteins with high biological value, mineral salts and vitamins specific to milk and derivatives. It also contains saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and histamine - the seasoned one - in abundance. It lends itself, in the portion and with recommended frequency of consumption, to the ordinary diet of healthy people; instead it has restrictions in the nutritional regime against some metabolic pathologies.
The production of Casera dates back to 1500, when most of the cheese makers organized themselves into cooperatives and shifts to optimize resources - logistics, technology, etc. - indispensable for cheese processing. By combining the production of milk and collaborating, they managed to guarantee not only the availability of the Casera on the market for the whole year, but also a quality standard that centuries later would have allowed it to earn the title DOP - Protected Designation of Origin.
The DOP recognition confers greater value on the cheese but, at the same time, binds it to a strict production disciplinary which regulates both the origin of the milk and the various stages of cheese making. The milk, strictly from brown breed cows fed on pasture or hay, must come from farms limited to the area delimited by the regulation. Bitto - instead exclusively of mountain pastures and worked in the summer.
The shape of Casera DOP is cylindrical, regular, with both flat faces, with a diameter of 30-45 cm, on which a "recognition label is applied. On the side, about 8-10 cm high, the symbol and the name of Casera DOP The wheels have an approximate weight of 7-12 kg.
The rind of Casera PDO is thin but consistent. The paste, white and almost tender in the young cheese or straw yellow and more tenacious in the more mature one, is elastic with thin, medium close and uniform holes. It is a semi-fat cheese - lipids not less than 34% on the dry matter - with a typically milky flavor and a sweetish taste in the young type, which goes well with various local recipes such as buckwheat-based dishes, pizzoccheri and sciatt. The ripe one, on the other hand, has more pronounced shades of hay and dried fruit, and is a very popular table cheese - as an appetizer, main course or dessert. The average humidity after two months of aging is around 40%.
, specific vitamins and minerals, especially riboflavin, calcium and phosphorus.
Casera provides a lot of calories, mainly from fatty acids - generally greater than 20% of the dry matter - most of which are saturated. This is followed by an admirable quantity of proteins with a high biological value - that is, they contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions and quantities - and, in young cheese, traces of lactose - a soluble carbohydrate disaccharide.
Casera, free of dietary fiber and gluten, on the other hand contains abundant levels of cholesterol. With aging it tends to lose water and lactose - which is hydrolyzed by the bacterial microflora - and to become enriched with histamine. The quantity of purines, as for milk and all derivatives, is very low.
As for vitamins, Casera is characterized by the abundance of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and retinol or equivalent (vitamin A or RAE). The other water-soluble factors belonging to group B such as thiamine (vitamin B1) and niacin (vit PP) As far as minerals are concerned, cheese shows significant concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and sodium.
Note: the table is incomplete but, given the cheese composition and methodology, it is likely that a large part of the nutritional profile can be shared with other similar cheeses.
against overweight - which requires being low-calorie and normolipidic.
The prevalence of saturated fatty acids on the global lipid profile and the abundance of cholesterol make Casera not recommended for hypercholesterolemia.
Rich in proteins with a high biological value, Casera is an excellent source of essential amino acids and can be recommended in all circumstances that require an increase in the intake of these nutrients - generalized malnutrition, protein deficiency, chronic malabsorption, increased need for specific amino acids such as pregnancy or the practice of particularly intense and prolonged sports. Note: it must be emphasized that the use of cheese as a source of high biological value proteins / essential amino acids is however limited by the less desirable nutritional characteristics.
Lactose, however scarce due to the presence of lactic fermentation, can be annoying to the most sensitive intolerant; however, cases of hypersensitivity to Casera related to the concentration of lactose are very rare. With aging occurs an increase in the level of histamine which makes it inappropriate in case of marked food intolerance to this molecule. Instead, it is relevant to the nutritional regimen against celiac disease and hyperuricemia.
Given the richness in water-soluble vitamins of group B, which perform various tasks in the role of cellular coenzymes, Casera can be considered useful for supporting many of the cellular metabolic processes. Fat-soluble vitamin A and / or equivalents (RAE), necessary for visual function, reproductive capacity, cell differentiation, antioxidant defense, etc. are also abundant.
The considerable level of sodium from the salt used during the cheese making makes Casera unsuitable for the preventive and / or therapeutic diet. Sodium-sensitive arterial hypertension. The richness of calcium and phosphorus is instead useful to support bone metabolism, which is very important in the development period. fetal, growth in children and also in old age - especially in women, due to the tendency to osteoporosis. Notes: remember that, for bone health, it is also necessary to ensure the intake of vitamin D - calciferol.
Casera cheese is not allowed in the vegan diet; moreover, due to the presence of animal rennet, it must also be excluded in vegetarian ones. It has no contraindications for the Muslim and Jewish religions. The opinions of observant Buddhists, in this regard, are conflicting.
The frequency of consumption of Casera cheese - as a dish - is less than or equal to 1-2 times a week, while the average portion corresponds to about 80 g.
Saracen, like the pasta called "pizzoccheri" and the fritters known as "sciatt". Also excellent are the famous stuffed gnocchi, spatzle with four cheeses and sliced polenta toasted with melted Casera. Fondue, with cream and possibly with other cheeses, is excellent on spooned polenta.Casera's food and wine pairing is typically with: young Barbacarlo, or Sassella or Inferno, of young aging.
partially skimmed milk obtained from two or more milkings of cows - mainly of the Brown Alpine breed, about 60% of the total - reared and fed - grazed or with hay - in the area defined by the specific production regulations - Valtellina.
The curd is initially obtained by inoculating selected lactic starters; only a small part of the Casera contains spontaneous bacteria, therefore with a heterogeneous composition. Coagulation is therefore initially acidic due to the release of lactic acid resulting from bacterial metabolism. It is completed later with the addition of calf rennet rich in enzymes that perform an intensely rennet function.
The curd is then cooked, or rather, semi-cooked at a specific temperature of 40-45 ° C. It is then broken and chopped into small grains the size of a corn seed. It is extracted and stored in special circular bands, to drain. Salting, dry or in brine, and seasoning follows
The maturation, of at least 70 days, typically takes place in the dairy at a temperature of 6-13 ° C.Finally, the forms of Casera are labeled and branded.
on the palate. The color varies from white to straw yellow, depending on the seasoning. The taste is sweet; the flavor, characteristic but delicate, is typical of milk in the young forms and of hay with hints of dried fruit in the more seasoned ones. Milk, Dairy Products and Cheeses Asiago Brie Burrata Caciocavallo Rennet Camembert Cheddar Milk Cream Crescenza Emmental Feta Milk Flakes Fontina Herbal Cheeses Lean Cheeses Cheeses rich in calcium Gorgonzola Gouda Grana Padano Gruyere Kéfalair Adapted milk Artificial milk Condensed milk Asphyxiated milk Goat's milk Sheep's milk Rice milk Soy milk Powdered milk and concentrated milk Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk Lactose-free milk Milk Vegetable milk Dairy products Lerdammer Mascarpone Montasio Buffalo mozzarella Mozzarella Whipped cream Cooking cream Fresh cream Parmigiano Reggiano Pecorino Philadelphia Primo Sale Provolone Ricotta Robiola Roquefort Scamorza Sottilette Squacquerone Taleggio Tomino Yogurt OTHER ARTICLES MILK AND DERIVATIVES Categories Alcoholic foods Meat Cereals and derivatives Sweeteners Sweets Offal Fruit Dried fruit Milk and derivatives Legumes Oils and fats Fish and fishery products Cold cuts S pezie Vegetables Health recipes Appetizers Bread, Pizza and Brioche First courses Second courses Vegetables and Salads Sweets and Desserts Ice creams and sorbets Syrups, liqueurs and grappa Basic preparations ---- In the kitchen with leftovers Carnival recipes Christmas recipes Light diet recipes Women's Day, Mum, Dad Recipes Functional Recipes International Recipes Easter Recipes Recipes for Celiacs Recipes for Diabetics Recipes for Holidays Recipes for Valentine's Day Recipes for Vegetarians Protein Recipes Regional Recipes Vegan Recipes
