Gorgonzola cheese: benefits and harms, preparation, recipes. Gorgonzola: Italian mold cheese

How much does Gorgonzola cheese cost (average price per 1 kg)?

Moscow and Moscow region.

The Italian province of Lombardy, which is considered one of the pearls of Italy, is conveniently located on the border with Switzerland. The nature of Lombardy is varied. The province is surrounded on one side by picturesque Alpine peaks that separate Italy and Switzerland from each other. In the south of Lombardy there is a plain and numerous crystal clear lakes.

In such an idealistic and beautiful atmosphere of alpine meadows, the inhabitants of Lombardy raised sheep, goats and cows in order to later produce the greatest masterpieces of cheese-making culture. We will talk about one of these masterpieces today.

During the Middle Ages, in the village of Gorgonzola, one enterprising Italian cheese maker spoiled a whole batch of Alpine curd cheese Stracchino. In order not to incur losses, the cheese maker decided to add some fresh cheese to the spoiled cheese and sell the goods to visiting merchants.

So he did, and after a while all the same merchants came to visit the cheese maker, plus some friends. The cheese maker decided that the traders had discovered the deception and wanted to inflict reprisals. However, he was wrong. Everyone liked the new cheese so much that it was named Gorgonzola, and the cheesemaker became rich.

In the suburbs of Milan there is the town of Gorgonzola, whose residents were the first to produce the famous cheese. To make Gorgonzola cheese, cheesemakers use special Penicilla mushrooms, which are implanted into young heads of cow cheese.

Mushrooms are implanted into the cheese using injections, which makes it possible to achieve a distinctive pattern on the cut of the cheese. Gorgonzola cheese is also characterized by its mold color - green. The cheese must be ripe, and the ripening period affects the taste of the cheese and, of course, the price. Gorgonzola cheese matures from 2 to 4 months.

Gorgonzola cheese is divided into two types. The first young cheese, with a sweet taste, is Gorgonzola Dolce, the second name is Cremificato. The second cheese is mature and seasoned, a delicacy for gourmets and a significant loss of money for the wallet - Gorgonzola Piccante cheese.

Gorgonzola cheese It is distinguished by its piquant and even spicy taste. This cheese is usually served as an appetizer, so that guests can “whet up” their appetite before the main course before lunch or dinner. Blue cheeses are often served as dessert.

Gorgonzola cheese, which is a mandatory ingredient for a cheese plate, was no exception. Gorgonzola cheese goes well with fruits and nuts. In addition to being used as a snack, Gorgonzola cheese is used in the preparation of soups, salads and cheese sauces for real gourmets.

Gorgonzola (Italian: Gorgonzola) is the most famous soft cheese of Italian cheesemakers.

It has been produced for a long time, since the 10th century, in the Lombardy region, in northern Italy, in a small town with the same name.

This is where the name of this traditionally Italian cheese comes from. Over time, production was mastered in other nearby areas of northern Italy.

A distinctive feature of Gorgonzola cheese is its pungency in the aftertaste, a slightly noticeable nutty aroma, sometimes there is the smell of hay and mushrooms, and veins of blue mold resemble a marble pattern.

The cheese has a pasty consistency, held together by a dense surface crust, which is not eaten.

Types of Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola comes in two varieties:

• Gorgonzola Dolce(sweet) or Cremificato (young). This type of cheese is softer in consistency and has a sweetish taste;
• denser and more mature - Gorgonzola Picante/Gorgonzola Piccante (savory), matures for at least 90 days. This type has a denser structure, an islandy and tart taste.

Gorgonzola Picante has a spicy and tart taste

Production

The description of the technology for the production of Gorgonzola cheese, which is quite complex, can be characterized by several stages:

• pasteurization of cow's, fresh milk at a temperature of 75C for 20 seconds;
• the milk is cooled to 30 - 35C and lactic acid bacteria are added (such as, for example, Bulgarian thermophilic bacillus - streptococcus);
• pennicillum spores are introduced into the mass. Rennet extracted from the stomach of a calf is added, which causes coagulation within 20 minutes;
• the already thickened mass is broken into large pieces, rubbed with salt, cooled on tables, then laid out in layers in molds to allow moisture to drain for approximately 24 hours;
• cheese molds are stored indoors at a temperature of about 5C and 90% humidity (traditionally this was done in caves). After about 20 days, the cheese is pierced with brass steel needles, through which air enters, giving an excellent opportunity for blue mold to spread inside the mold;
• after 20 days, the cheese is turned over again and punctures are made on the other side. The more punctures, the richer the taste and marbling of Gorgonzola;
• ripening lasts 2 - 3 months (minimum 50 days).

The finished cheese should be supplied in the form of a cylinder, weighing from 6 to 13 kg, with a diameter of 20 - 30 cm.

You will learn all the details about the production of Gorgonzola cheese from the video:

The interesting thing is that to produce this one form, you will need almost a hundredweight of fresh cow's milk.

How to make gorgonzola at home?

Due to recent events, namely sanctions, it would not be superfluous to present a recipe for making Gorgonzola cheese at home.
This process will require the following steps:

• pour cow's milk into a large container;
• heat in a water bath, stirring constantly, at a temperature of no more than 33C;
• add rennet starter and calcium chloride there, leave for half an hour;
• cut the resulting cottage cheese into small pieces;
• place the curd in cheesecloth and hang until the whey is completely separated;
• Place half of the squeezed cottage cheese into a bowl with fabric already placed on the bottom;
• add special mold spores for Gorgonzola cheese (or for all types of blue cheeses) to the curd mass, place the other half of the curd on top. It is possible to buy spores, without which the cheese cannot even remotely resemble Gorgonzola, in online stores, for example;
• remove the resulting product by tying the ends of the material, place it under a press, and turn it over for 3 days;
• the next step is to rub the compressed cottage cheese with salt, place it in a container, drain the resulting whey every day for 3 days;
• replace the material with a clean and dry one, turning the cheese product over every day, store in this way for 2 months;
• For the next month, at a temperature of 7 degrees, store the cheese until fully ripened.

Properly prepared Gorgonzola at home is not inferior to the original cheese in taste.

Gorgonzola analogs

Gorgonzola cheese is unique, but if you need to replace it, then cheeses similar to Gargonzola can be eaten.
For example, in Argentina they produce a type of cheese - Santa Rosa.

The method of preparing Italian Gorgonzola is used in the production of German Cambozola cheese.

In Brazil they make Gorgonzola tirolez, or more precisely “Queijo Tipo Gorgonzola”, which means “Gorgonzola type cheese”.
In terms of taste, these cheeses are similar to true Gorgonzola, produced in Italy, but still they are not capable of replacing it completely.

Gorgonzola analogues are similar to true Gorgonzola, but still cannot completely replace it

The price of Gorgonzola cheese in Europe varies from 8 - 9 euros (for the sweet type) and up to 180 euros (for the aged, savory type) per kg, depending on the type of Gorgonzola and the ripening time.

Dishes with Gorgonzola

In Italy, Gorgonzola cheese is usually eaten with what the local lands are rich in: nuts, jam, honey (usually acacia), chocolate. It is also consumed in an ideal combination with some vegetables, such as celery, pumpkin, broccoli, etc.

In addition to these Gorgonzola companions, seasonal fruits are often consumed: figs, pears, apples, kiwi, strawberries.

Many delicious dishes are prepared with the addition of this cheese. Several of the most famous recipes with Gorgonzola cannot be ignored.

Gorgonzola sauce

Sauce with Gorgonzola (Italian: Salsa al Gorgonzola), the recipe for which is extremely simple: place a container on the fire, add the cheese cut into pieces, heat, stirring. Add a little milk as you go until the sauce becomes smooth, pepper and salt to taste. In some provinces, grated horseradish is added to this ready-made sauce.

Very easy to prepare Gorgonzola sauce

Pasta with Gorgonzola

The Gorgonzola pasta recipe is not just a recipe, but a classic of the northern regions of Italian cuisine.
To prepare this dish you need:

• 400 g pasta (preferably short ones - Penne or Farfalle);
• 4 eggs;
• 200 g Gorgonzola;
• 200 ml cream;
• salt to taste;
• black pepper.

Beat the eggs, add Gorgonzola and cream, beat the whole mass again. Set aside the prepared sauce.
Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente (slightly undercooked), stir in the cream sauce. Place a portion of pasta on a plate and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

For a detailed recipe, watch the video:

Pasta with Gorgonzola and walnuts resembles the previous recipe, but is already a more refined dish and is less common on the menu.
To prepare the dish you need:

• pasta/pasta;
• Gorgonzola;
• garlic;
• a little white wine;
• onion/shallot;
• coarsely chopped walnut kernels;
• black pepper;
• parsley (greens);
• cream;
• salt;
• olive oil for frying in a frying pan.

Sauce: Lightly fry the onion and garlic in a frying pan, add wine, when the garlic darkens, remove from the frying pan. Add Gorgonzola, after mashing with a fork. Add cream, salt and chopped nuts to the prepared mass. Mix everything, the sauce is ready.
Boil pasta until al dente.

Pasta with Gorgonzola and walnuts - an exquisite dish with excellent taste

Serve the finished pasta with the sauce, topped with black pepper and chopped parsley.

A delicious salad with pear and Gorgonzola is also absolutely easy to prepare and incredibly tasty.
It requires the following ingredients:

• mix of greens (arugula, spinach, watercress, etc.);
• Gorgonzola;
• pears 2 pcs.;
• walnuts - 100g;
• olive oil;
• red wine vinegar;
• salt.

Cut skinless pears into small pieces, cut Gorgonzola into cubes, and place washed and dried herbs in a bowl. Prepare the dressing: mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 6 tablespoons of oil, salt, stir.

Delicious salad with pear and Gorgonzola

Dress the salad on a plate.

Pizza with pear and Gorgonzola is a typical pizza for the lands of Lombardy and nearby northern Italian provinces.
To prepare it you need the following ingredients:

• unleavened pizza dough - 500 grams;
• pizza filling:
  • pear (preferably the Williams variety);
  • Gorgonzola;
  • olive oil;
  • a tablespoon of honey;
  • arugula leaves.

Preparation: chop the pear into thin slices, simmer a little in a frying pan, sprinkle with a little sugar.
Meanwhile, roll out the dough, grease with oil and place in the oven to bake. Remove the baking sheet, place half of the Gorgonzola on the dough, and place back in the oven. Remove when the cheese has melted.

Place the pears on the melted cheese, add the remaining Gorgonzola on top and pour a little oil on top, place in the oven for a couple of minutes.

Pizza with pear and Gorgonzola - typical pizza for Lombardy

The pizza is ready, when serving, place the arugula on the surface of the pizza.

Conclusion

In Italy, about 3,000 farms and 30 dairies are involved in the production of Gorgonzola. The annual production of Gorgonzola is about 4 million forms, representing a turnover of about 450 million euros, of which about 30% is exported mainly to Germany and France.

With mold. Many people are disgusted by the product by its very appearance. But real gourmets know that this is an expensive delicacy, distinguished by its special taste and aroma. Such cheese can be made exclusively in places of its traditional production. Italy is such a place. It is here that the village of the same name is located, thanks to which the product got its name several centuries ago.

The history of Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is something that appeared completely by accident. The predecessor of this delicacy is cheese, which is called “strakinno”. Translated from Italian, the name means “tired.” The origin of Gorgonzola itself is connected with this concept.

Around the village of Gorgonzola, cows constantly grazed and came down from the mountains. The peasants derived their own benefit from this: they milked the cows, and then made cheese from the resulting milk. As the legend goes, one day a peasant was very tired and because of this he violated the order of preparing the dish. So that no one would notice, he decided to combine fresh milk with the dough. He ended up with blue cheese. The product instantly captivated Italian gourmets with its piquant taste and spicy aroma. Modern Gorgonzola is that same moldy cheese that accidentally turned out.

Useful properties of blue cheese

Gorgonzola is a nutritious cheese that has a lot of useful substances. Thus, a high-quality product is enriched with easily digestible fats, proteins, vitamins and other elements important for the human body.

This delicacy is a highly effective antioxidant, and mold increases the body’s protective functions and has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Two varieties of delicacy

The photo of which can be seen in the article comes in two varieties: Cremificato (Gorgonzola Dolce) and Gorgonzola Piccante.

The first variety is a tender and young cheese with a sweetish taste. The product matures completely in just two months.

Gorgonzola Piccante matures in approximately four months. The cheese is characterized by a rich and pungent taste and dense consistency.

Both varieties have a white or cream color in cross-section with streaks of bluish-green mold. But in a mature product the number of such veins is much greater and it has a crust with an appetizing reddish tone.

Making blue cheese at home

Not everyone can afford to buy real Gorgonzola cheese (the homemade recipe is described below). After all, it is expensive. But preparing the product at home is quite possible, albeit time-consuming. For the recipe you will need 16 liters of milk, half a teaspoon each of lactic acid cultures, calcium chloride and 1/8 teaspoon of mold and a little sea salt.

Pour half of the entire portion of milk into a large saucepan and heat it in a hot water bath to 32 degrees over medium heat, constantly gently stirring the liquid. Then half of the lactic acid cultures are placed on the surface of the heated milk and left to curdle for five minutes. After this period, move from top to bottom with a slotted spoon to the bottom of the culture so that the milk itself does not agitate.

Calcium chloride is diluted with 50 milliliters of cold water and poured into milk. Again, manipulate with the same movements as when adding lactic acid cultures. Rennet starter is also diluted and added, and then the whole mixture is aged for 20 minutes. A long blade of a cheese knife is inserted into the resulting curd at a 30 degree angle. The split product should be cut into two-centimeter cubes. The resulting figures are left for five minutes to allow the whey to separate.

Then you need to stir the cottage cheese until its quantity decreases. Place whatever remains in a gauze bag and hang it over the sink overnight. The next day, you need to carry out the entire procedure described above with the remaining portion of milk. Then two rates of cottage cheese are mixed, sprinkled with mold and salt, and the resulting product is aged for three months in a special plastic container.

Best pizza in the world

Pizza with Gorgonzola and pear turns out incredibly tasty, for the preparation of which you will need semolina, flour, salt, Gorgonzola and cream cheese, cream, olive oil, pear, sugar and yeast.

First you need to prepare the dough: in a saucepan, mix dry yeast with sugar, salt and water. Then add flour and semolina and knead the dough. Cover the baking sheet with parchment. While the dough is “rising”, you need to peel the pears and cut them into slices. Roll out the “grown” dough and place it on a baking sheet. We grease this base with cream cheese and cream sauce, put pears and Gorgonzola on top. Sprinkle raw pizza with sugar and bake for 40 minutes. The finished dish is sprinkled with olive oil.

Delicate sauce

In addition to pizza with Gorgonzola, you can prepare a wonderful creamy sauce that will provide new flavors to vegetables, escalope, pasta or boiled potatoes.

Required ingredients:

• Gorgonzola - 200 grams.
• Cream 20% fat - one hundred milliliters.
• Lemon juice - two tablespoons.
• Ground black pepper and nutmeg.

Heat the cream over low heat, add cheese, mashed with a fork, then increase the heat and simmer the mixture at medium level for eight minutes, stirring regularly.

After eight minutes, remove the mixture from the stove and, continuing to stir, add spices and juice. Now an excellent dressing for main dishes is ready.

Gorgonzola is one of the most famous types of Italian cheese. It is also called blue cheese because of the blue-green mold that distinguishes it from many others. The product is made entirely from whole cow's milk. Its geographical origin is disputed by many localities, but today its production is concentrated in several cities - Novara, Como, Pavia and Milan (according to some sources, it was in this province that it originated)

Cheese production began in the 9th century in Gorgonzola, one of the provinces of Milan. Legend has it that the predecessor was a product made from very fatty milk, and therefore the cheese was very soft. One day, one of the villagers accidentally mixed fresh milk with unprocessed cheese dough and the result was a moldy product that tasted completely different from all previously existing types. It immediately gained a large following and remains a favorite among foodies around the world. The production of Gorgonzola is protected at the legislative level, that is, only a product produced in several provinces of Italy can be called it.

But how is mold made now? It turns out that after two weeks, when the cheese has settled a little, it is pierced with needles, delivering noble mold spores into it. And then metal tubes are inserted into the product, which provide the mold with the oxygen necessary for growth and development. Typically, cheese needs three or four months of infusion to ripen.

Main characteristics of Gorgonzola cheese

This variety of Italian cheese has a soft texture reminiscent of cottage cheese, a nutty aroma and a unique salty taste. It is distinguished by its white or yellow color with blue streaks of mold. But there are two types of Gorgonzola that differ in their taste characteristics: Gorgonzola Dolce and Gorgonzola Piccante.

Gorgonzola dolce matures on average 70 days, has an oily texture, and is ivory in color. The cheese turns out very tender.

Gorgonzola picante has a denser structure and a characteristic sharp, spicy taste. It is believed that this is the very first version of the cheese, which was accidentally made by an inattentive cheesemaker. On average, it matures from 3 months to 1.5 years.

• Calories – 330
• Belkov – 19.0
• Fat – 26.0

Useful properties of the product

Gorgonzola cheese is very healthy and nutritious, it will keep you energy and strength until the end of the working day. In addition, one piece of it will provide you with a good mood and healthy nutrition in the morning and throughout the day, thanks to the vitamins and amino acids it contains. The product is also useful for those who have problems with the skeletal and cardiovascular systems - the calcium and phosphorus contained in Gorgonzola will contribute to the normal functioning of organs and keep your muscles toned.

The benefits of cheese in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders are noted. There is also an opinion that it contributes to the body’s resistance to various infections.

Examples of culinary uses of gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a versatile cheese and can be used in all recipes that involve cheese. If you add it melted to risotto, the dish will acquire an unusual salty taste. It will also be an excellent addition to one of the traditional French dishes - polenta porridge.

Gorgonzola - the creation of an absent-minded cheesemaker

History and geography of the product

Famous European cheeses - no other product is associated with so many legends and traditions as with them. Gorgonzola is no exception, the appearance of which is still shrouded in mystery. It is only clear that this cheese was known to people back in the 10th or 12th centuries.

It is from this time that the stories still told in Italy date back. According to one of them, the world owes the appearance of Gorgonzola to an absent-minded cheese maker who left a linen bag with a cheese curd in the barn. When the worker discovered the knot a few days later, fearing punishment, he mixed the stale cottage cheese with new one and, putting it in molds, left it to ripen. Imagine the cheesemaker’s amazement when, cautiously lifting the canvas, he saw green patterns of mold on the young cheese. The type of cheese was very unusual, but the taste of the broken piece exceeded all expectations. The cheese amazingly combined the sweetness of milk and the pungency of mold.

The story is very plausible. But there is also a second legend. His hero was a cunning peasant who decided to make money from merchants passing through the village. Deciding that guests from afar would never return to him again, the deceiver added several stale circles with traces of mold to the batch of fresh stracchino cheese. How frightened the cunning man was when, two weeks later, the same merchants appeared on his doorstep again.

Having prepared for the blows, the peasant suddenly heard that the guests wanted to buy more of the same strange but aromatic cheese. It turned out that during the journey, mold had spread throughout the cheese, penetrating the white circles and giving them a unique taste.

But this is just Italian folklore. But in real life, until the end of the 19th century, the recipe for Gorgonzola was unknown, and in different provinces the cheese was made in accordance with their experience and traditions.

Cheesemakers were lucky enough to receive a complete recipe for Gorgonzola only in 1881, when the will of the Archbishop of Milan, Ansperto da Biassono, was read out.

Italians are extremely sensitive to Gorgonzola. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and fermented with rennet. As soon as the cheese curds are sent for ripening, mold is introduced into the mass, which explains the even longitudinal stripes of mold on the section of the circle.

In order to guarantee high quality cheese, in 1970 the country's leading cheese makers decided to create the Gorgonzola Consortium, whose CG sign is marked on each head of this delicious cheese. This was a good protection for Gorgonzola from counterfeits, as was the decision that cheese with this name, according to the DOC protected place of origin mark, can only be produced in Italy.

Types and varieties

Today's gourmets can try two types of Gorgonzola.
Gorgonzola Dolce, sometimes called cream cheese, Cremificato is a delicate cheese with a sweet flavor and nutty notes that matures in just two months. This type of Gorgonzola is made from “a una pasta,” a single batch of cottage cheese.

Gorgonzola Piccante has a completely different character. This cheese is tangy and dense, the result of aging for four months. Cheesemakers refer to this Gorgonzola as “a duo paste,” a cheese made from two batches of cottage cheese. This is exactly the kind of gorgonzola that the forgetful cheese maker from Italian legend once made.

The cheese ripening takes place in a completely dry but cool cellar. Humidity and heat can destroy tender Gorgonzola. When the period set for aging passes, white or barely yellow cheese with a fat content of up to 48%, with green veins of mold and a golden-brown crust, appears on the shelves.

Beneficial features

Gorgonzola, like all dairy products, contains a sufficient amount of B vitamins, as well as A, D, E and PP. Cheese contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus in an easily digestible form, iron and potassium. Calcium is essential for the skeleton, nails and teeth, and phosphorus is essential for vision and the nervous system. The presence of vitamin D in gorgonzola and the high fat content of the product helps the absorption of calcium, which is extremely important in childhood and adulthood. Iron improves blood composition, and potassium promotes the timely removal of fluid from the body and helps regulate salt metabolism. Magnesium and potassium are important for the functioning of the heart and vascular system.

Cheese is rich in protein and essential amino acids, which activate metabolic processes. Unsaturated fatty acids cleanse blood vessels of excess cholesterol, acting as a preventative against hypertension, the risk of developing atherosclerosis and other problems with the heart and blood vessels.

Like all blue cheeses, once in the intestinal tract and stomach, Italian Gorgonzola acts as a mild natural antibiotic. On the one hand, this is a significant plus of cheese, which can improve flora by destroying pathogenic bacteria. But an excess amount of mold fungi can cause an imbalance, so cheese is not recommended for women expecting a child or breastfeeding.

Taste qualities

Gorgonzola is a wonderful prelude to a meal. A slice of spicy mature cheese is enough to whet your appetite. This Gorgonzola brings pleasure not only with its taste, the aroma of the cheese is also rich, thick and piquant. Cheese with a dense consistency becomes so as it ripens. The young product is more delicate, creamy and nutty, even sweetish.

By four months of aging, the mold culture has spread throughout the entire head, but its growth does not end. When air is exposed, the fungus begins to grow rapidly, which is allowed by the standards, but can lead to a predominance of penicillin notes in the aroma and taste.

The naturally dense crust of the cheese has a red-orange tint; it does not affect the taste of Gorgonzola and is completely edible.

Use in cooking

Italians typically eat gorgonzola with light, fresh ciabatta, sweet onion slices, acacia honey, and even tomato jam. But these are not all the ways to evaluate the taste of cheese.

Ripe Gorgonzola will add piquant notes and heat to sauces, salads and hot dishes. A classic snack with Gorgonzola is potato croquettes. Slices of cheese are placed in mashed cakes, and the formed balls are breaded and deep-fried. In Lombardy, corn polenta with this spicy cheese is very popular, and the inhabitants of Piedmont consider roast veal with a sauce of Gorgonzola, cream and herbs to be their signature dish.

Without Gorgonzola, the famous Italian “Four Cheese” pizza will lose its originality. It is impossible to imagine Apennine cuisine without a spicy cheese sauce. It is considered traditional to add gorgonzola to neutral pasta dishes. Lasagna, pene, classic spaghetti - a slice of cheese, a drop of olive oil and a handful of herbs are enough to turn a simple dish into haute cuisine.

Cheese will enrich the taste of game and charcoal-roasted meat. It may seem impossible, but cheese with a bright tangy flavor can also be useful in desserts. Gourmets should try ice cream, soufflé or gratin with Gorgonzola.

Young Gorgonzola is served with white Muscat wines, while rich, sweet wines, such as Tokaji Aszu, are more suitable for mature cheese. Sparkling Asti Spumante, sherry or Spanish Madeira will help to reveal the taste of the cheese. An excellent addition to wine and cheese would be dried apricots, dried pears and roasted almonds.