Canestrato vs Formaggio di Fossa
Canestrato
Facts
- Texture
- Hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Rind
- Natural rind
- Country
- Italy
- Place
- Trentino, Apulia, Basilicata, Sicily, Sardinia
Canestrato is an Italian cheese named for the canestro, the basket that drains and shapes the curd. The basket leaves a woven pattern on the rind, and that mark is the shared sign across many local wheels. The regions tied to the name include Trentino, Apulia, Basilicata, Sicily, and Sardinia. Most pieces are pressed, aged, and firm, with a natural rind and a savory paste. A young wheel can be cut for the table, while an older one is kept for grating.
Formaggio di Fossa
Facts
- Texture
- Semi-hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Rind
- No rind
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- PDO
Formaggio di Fossa is an Italian cheese aged in underground pits. The name means cheese of the pit, and the closed chamber is what sets it apart from other firm cheeses. Wheels are wrapped, stacked, and sealed in the rock until the paste turns irregular, moist, and strongly aromatic. The name is protected. Makers may use one milk or a blend, so two wheels from the same method can still taste different.