Caciocavallo di Agnone is a pear-shaped stretched-curd cheese from Molise.
A familiar pear-shaped cheese becomes more interesting when you follow the hands that shape it.
Di Nucci’s Caciocavallo di Agnone belongs to a dairy craft connected with Molise and its pastoral culture. Start in Agnone for a visit or a conversation with a cheesemonger, then compare the different maturations available.
Di Nucci uses raw milk, rennet, whey starter and salt, with manual work shaping the pasta filata. Compare the producer’s different maturations and look at the cut surface as well as the silhouette: the firm skin and the interior offer different views of the cheese.
Compare the producer’s semistagionato and stagionato in small pieces, starting with the younger cheese. Add plain bread after the first taste. For a second serving, try a little cheese beside warm roasted vegetables, keeping the seasoning simple. Grating or shaving an older portion is another way to explore it, but taste before adding salt to the dish.
Ask who made the cheese and how long it has matured. Compare Di Nucci’s semistagionato and stagionato, then tell the cheesemonger whether you want a tasting portion or cheese for cooking. Choose the cut for that use rather than by size alone.
Retain the label that identifies the producer and maturation, and follow its storage instructions. When buying a cut portion, ask the cheesemonger to include those details.
No. The ranges presented here are explicitly that producer’s examples. Ask the maker about the wheel you buy.
It refers to the worked, stretched curd. Di Nucci describes manual shaping as part of its production.
The producer lists raw milk, rennet, whey starter and salt for its Caciocavallo di Agnone. Check the label of the cheese you choose for its own ingredients.
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