By infopadweb 3 April 2024
GRANA PADANO DOP
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DESCRIPTION, HISTORY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOP
“Grana” cheese from the Po Valley was created around 1135 in the Abbey of Chiaravalle, south of Milan, by Benedictine monks, who developed an original recipe in order to use the excess milk produced in the area. They called it “caseus vetus”, which in latin means “old cheese”, due to its long ageing. The people called it simply “grana” due to its hard and grainy texture. The current name Grana Padano (“Padano” defines the area of production and literally means “from the Po River Valley”) dates back to the creation of the Protection Consortium on 10 April 1954. The recognition of the Protected Designation of Origin by the EU was given in 1996.
Grana Padano DOP cheese is produced exclusively with raw milk from the production area, from cows fed according to precise rules and milked twice a day or from cows milked with free access to an automatic milking system, partially skimmed by natural surfacing of the cream, and processed exclusively in copper or copper lined cauldrons, shaped like inverted bells, from each of which two wheels are obtained. Each cauldron is filled with around 1.000 litres of milk. A natural whey starter is added to the milk, then heated to a temperature of 31-33°C and calf rennet is added for coagulation.
Once the coagulation has occurred, the curd is chopped into small grains with a manual instrument called “spino” (like a giant whisk). Heating to a maximum of 56°C follows and then, after a resting period
of around an hour, the twin fresh wheels of cheese are collected, wrapped in linen cloths and placed into moulds, where they receive the initial typical marks: small lozenges with alternatively “Grana” and “Padano” written inside and all the other signs appearing on the crust except for the fire brand. Finally, before the ageing process begins, the wheels are soaked in brine for around 20 days.
The ageing process lasts for a minimum of 9 to over 24 months. At 9 months, each wheel is carefully tested for appearance, aroma and texture. This important step is carried out exclusively by the impartial expertise of the Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano (Protection Consortium) technicians, under the supervision of a third-party certifying body. Only the best wheels receive the fire-branded logo officially grading them GRANA PADANO DOP cheese.
Grana Padano DOP cheese is the world’s best-selling DOP cheese. Rich in nutrients and very digestible, it is an excellent and nutritional choice for the whole family. Grana Padano possesses unique nutritional features such as quality proteins, vitamins, minerals salts and especially calcium. Furthermore:
– it takes about 15 litres of naturally, partially skimmed milk to produce 1kg of Grana Padano DOP
– 100 g of Grana Padano contains 33g of proteins
– 30g of Grana Padano DOP contain the same nutritional value to approximately 0,5l of milk (1 pint)
– 50g of Grana Padano DOP provide more than 600mg of Calcium – 60% of the daily requirement for adults.
– it is naturally lactose free due to the production process and long ageing
– Find many delicious and tasty Grana Padano recipes on granapadano.it
Consortium
THE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF GRANA PADANO DOP
Dating back to 1954, the Consortium for the Protection of Grana Padano DOP cheese – Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano – is a non-profit organisation, which brings together producers and curers to protect and promote Grana Padano DOP cheese in the world. It ensures that every wheel of cheese is made according to the Production Specifications so that it can be awarded its DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status and be fire-branded with the Grana Padano mark whilst also protecting it against fraud in Italy and abroad. It ensures the consumers that whenever they buy a piece of Grana Padano, it is genuine Grana Padano DOP cheese.
The Consortium is based in Desenzano del Garda, in the heart of the Grana Padano production area situated in Northern Italy, along the Po River Valley, from the Piedmont region to the Veneto region, up to the province of Trento in the north-east and, towards the south of the valley, a few areas of Emilia Romagna with a total of 34 provinces.
Recipe
20-MONTH GRANA PADANO DOP PANNA COTTA WITH FIG VINCOTTO
| 4 people Preparation: 25′ + rest Cooking: 10′ |
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Ingredients:
– 2 dl fresh cream
– 100 g grated Grana Padano DOP 20 months
– 5 g gelatin sheets
– 0.8 dl fig vincotto
– black pepper
– salt
Soak the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, add a pinch of salt, a grinding of pepper and 50 g grated Grana Padano DOP and heat over a low flame until the cheese has melted and the mixture starts to simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the drained and squeezed gelatin and stir until dissolved. Pour into 4 small glasses, let cool and transfer to refrigerator for 4 hours. Divide the remaining Grana Padano DOP into 4 portions, sprinkle one in a nonstick pan to form an even, thin disk, heat the pan over a low flame and cook the cheese until it has melted and begins to brown slightly. Roll the waffle on the handle of a wooden spoon covered with baking paper, allow to cool and slip into cannoli. Cook the remaining Grana Padano DOP in the same way. Pour the vin cotto into the small glasses over the panna cotta, decorate with the Grana Padano DOP wafer and serve.
Regions
GRANA PADANO DOP
| Lombardy Emilia Romagna Piedmont Trentino Alto Adige Veneto |
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