Bitto

Bitto Italian mix cheese made in Lombardy - Lombardia Region

Ingredients: whole milk with the addition of goat milk (about 10% of total) by race-alpine Brown or Red.

Processing technology: bring the milk to about 39-49 degrees, adding the rennet (sometimes lamb) and stirring vigorously. Coagulates in 20-40 minutes. After the curd is broken (variable size of grains of corn and rice) is cooked to 45-53 degrees (with fire, for 20-60 minutes). After these operations, the mass is left to stand off the heat for 15 minutes, stirring, before being put in shape: Total working time between 90 and 180 minutes. Dry salting is carried out after two or three days for about 3-4 weeks with coarse salt. It matures in 15-20 days, in an environment at 12-15 degrees and humidity 80-90%, slightly windy, where the shapes, placed on wooden boards, are turned over and baked. Yield 13%. Additives: colorant from cheese. Seasoning: 3 months to 2 years, up to 10 years. During this period, the shapes are scraped and treated with drying oils. 8-10% yield.

Characteristics of the finished product: Height: 8-12 cm, diameter: 30-50 cm, weight 15-25 kg; form: cylindrical crust: soft and supple with a yellowish / three months (tends to darken and harden with time); dough: look, taste: slightly spicy.

Production area: Valtellina, in particular some valleys in the left Adda Morbegno (Sondrio). Calendar of production all year round.

Notes: originally came only from the Valley of Bitto (uncertain etymology from the Celtic bituminous, perennial, or German Bett, also the river bed) with its about 15 pastures. It is the main ingredient for polenta and taragna pizzoccheri. In 1970 in Morbegno was formed the Consortium of Bitto