Formaggella del Luinese is a semihard cheese made entirely from raw goat’s milk in the Varese Prealps.
The Luinese story follows goat keeping into the uplands around Lake Maggiore.
Local dairy history includes a 1596 Borromeo household account and a 1603 description of mountain cheeses. These older accounts provide a setting for exploring the northern Varese landscape and its dairy craft.
Raw goat milk is combined with starter and calf rennet, followed by curd cutting, molding, turning and salting. The cheese then matures for at least 20 days. Its white paste is soft and compact, with fine holes. Compare the texture of the center and the edge in the same slice.
The specification names the permitted municipalities in northern Varese province, Lombardy.
LombardyBegin with a thin slice and plain bread, then try it with a small piece of pear. For a warm dish, add a modest amount to risotto near the end and taste as you go. Ask about maturation when choosing a cheese for a tasting.
Use the full protected name, Formaggella del Luinese DOP, when choosing this cheese. The specification sets its maturation as follows: At least 20 days.
Keep the protected-name label with any remaining portion and follow the producer’s storage instructions and date. Ask the seller for the same information when buying a cut piece.
The specification calls for whole raw goat’s milk.
The specification names the permitted municipalities in northern Varese province, Lombardy.
The specification gives these maturation requirements: At least 20 days.
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