Sicilian Primo Sale cheese
Sicilian Primo Sale cheese is made with sheep's milk and is one of the oldest cheeses produced in Italy. Its cradle of origin would be Mesopotamia where by chance a Sumerian shepherd invented the production technique. Homer in the Odyssey also mentions rush canestrati as containers of Sicilian compact cheeses.
TYPE: soft cheese made with raw sheep's milk
PRODUCTION AREA: the entire Sicilian region
Shape: Cylindrical with flat or slightly concave faces, wrinkled rind, due to the marks left by the canestrato of June, more or less intense yellow color depending on aging; the compact paste, with few holes, is white or straw yellow in color.
Weight: Varies from 4 to 15 kg with a sidewall of 10-18 cm and a diameter of 45 cm.
Organoleptic characteristics: Aromas of fresh, floral and spicy, strong, fruity and spicy taste, especially if seasoned. The nose shows the intense smell of sheep's milk and hay. The taste is crumbly and grainy with a decidedly spicy flavor.
HOW TO CUT IT: in vertical wedges, from the side (upper face) to the plate (lower face).
WINE PAIRING: it goes very well with typical Sicilian full-bodied red wines.
Production techniques and environments: Production takes place from October to June. The cheese making systems involve the use of traditional equipment. Dry salting is manual and is carried out the day after production, on the entire surface of the wheel. Currently some cheesemakers sometimes carry out salting in concentrated brine for 24 hours.
Ingredients: Sheep's milk, origin Italy, salt, rennet, ferments
