Volume 11, Issue 63 - September 27, 2006 |
Greetings Member,
Today's cheese is Provolone. Provolone is great served with a glass of Merlot or
Chianti, a light-bodied Pinot Noir, Syrah or sparkling water. It pairs
nicely with red grapes, pears, figs, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives and
hearty breads.
 Provolone
Pro-vo-lo´-neh
Heritage:
Producers use more and different cultures to make Provolone than for
Mozzarella. These additional cultures result in fuller flavors and allow
Provolone to age well. In earlier times, Italian cheesemakers heated curing
rooms with wood fires, which imparted a slightly smoky flavor to the cheese.
Today, Wisconsin cheesemakers produce smoked and unsmoked Provolone.
Description:
- Flavor changes from slightly piquant when young to sharp when aged.
- Firm
texture becomes more granular with age.
- Plain or smoked.
- Slice for sandwiches;
shred for pizza, fillings; dice on salads.
Appearance:
Ivory to pale beige.
Texture:
Firm, becoming more granular with age.
Flavor:
Full flavor that intensifies and sharpens with age.
Source:
Wisconsin
Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
 Veal
Parmigiana
Category: Entrée
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced or 1 can (26 ounces) whole,
peeled tomatoes, drained
6 lean veal cutlets (4 ounces each)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt, pepper, rosemary, sage to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded
Wisconsin Provolone cheese
2 cups (6 ounces) grated Wisconsin Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet
over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 4 minutes, or until
transparent. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat
and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Coat the cutlets evenly with the flour and season with the salt, pepper,
rosemary and sage. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in another large
skillet over medium heat. Add the cutlets and cook, turning once, until browned.
Place the cutlets in shallow 2-quart baking dish. Add the wine and tomato
mixture. Top with cheeses and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese melts.
Recipe © 2006
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
More About Provolone:
Serving Suggestions:
- Top bruschetta with shredded Provolone; bake until golden. Add diced
tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and minced scallions; serve immediately.
- Use a
Mozzarella and Provolone blend on pizzas, veal or chicken parmigianas, lasagnas
and casseroles.
- Top crocks of flavorful chicken soup with Provolone. Broil until
the cheese melts and bubbles.
Goes Well With:
Cured meats, tomatoes, pears, grapes, figs.
Beaujolais, Late Harvest
Gewurztraminer.
Italian beers, lager beers
Styles/Varieties:
- Bulk: 600-pound Giganti (7 feet long), 200-pound Giganti, 8-pound to 1-pound
Salamini (little Salami), 15- to 20-pound Campane (bell), 20- to 40-pound Pear,
20- to 25-pound Mandarini
- Shredded: 10-pound bag, 5-pound bag
- Traditional
Shapes: 5-pound Bocci (balls), 2-pound Boccini (little balls), 1-pound
Campanelle (little bell)
- 3-pound Manteche Provolone molded around sweet cream
butter
- Retail: random- and exact-weight, shredded 4- to 16-ounce bag
Performance Note:
Producers originally tied rope around Provolone to hang it in the curing
rooms. The rope also came in handy for transporting the cheese on horseback.
In
Italian, the plural of Provolone is Provoloni, pronounced "Provolone´ee."
Manteche is made by hand, wrapping mild Provolone around sweet cream butter. As
the cheese ages, the butter becomes cultured and takes on the flavor of the
cheese. Originally, this cheese provided a way to keep butter without
refrigeration. In Italy, these are sometimes called "Burrini." If merchandised
whole, be sure to label well so your customers know there is butter inside.
Retailers - A Mammoth Wisconsin Provolone "Giganti" grabs customers' attention.
During the holidays, take orders before you cut it. Announce the big day ahead
of time and have a cutting party before the holiday rush. Mammoth Kits,
available from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, help you plan your promotion.
Federal Standards of Identity:
- Maximum Moisture: 45%
- Minimum Milkfat in Solids: 45%
Source: Cheesecyclopedia™ © 2006
Wisconsin
Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
 Pumpkin Seed Squash
Gratin
Category: Side Dish
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
Roasted Squash:
5 to 6 pounds winter squash, cut into 3 inch pieces
3 onions, cut into wedges
2 poblano chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Gratin:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices (1 ounce each)
Wisconsin Provolone, cut in half
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons pumpkin seed nuts
Preparation:
Roasted Squash:
In large roasting pan place squash, onions, chiles, salt and
pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover; roast at 375 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours,
until tender. Scoop squash pulp from skin.
Gratin:
Combine 3 cups roasted squash with roasted onions and chiles in 2
quart gratin dish. Layer with cheese. In skillet, sauté bread crumbs in olive
oil, stirring occasionally, until browned. Sprinkle over cheese slices, top with
pumpkin seed nuts. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe © 2006
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
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