an abundance of Sicilian Cheese .....


For hundreds of years, cheese was one of the most important parts of every meal in Italy, especially in poorer regions. Each region and almost every village has developed and refined its own recipe.

According to legend the first cheese maker was the shepherd Aristeus, son of the nymph Cyrene and the god Apollo.

Cheese is one of the oldest and most versatile foods on earth and the production one of humanity’s oldest artisanal arts.

Sicilian cheeses reflect the seasons, the pasture, the milk and the maker. 

Most of the cheeses are unknown outside of Sicily and they represent what the shepherds once called Il Frutto, the fruit of the milk.

There are mainly three different groups of Sicilian cheese, Ricotta, Pasta Filata and Pasta Pressata, but there are many more.


The word Ricotta literally means recooked and it is made from the whey left over from the making of other cheese. It is made from sheep’s milk which is creamier than cow’s milk. Ricotta can be used on its own or in sweet and savoury dishes. It is used in many Sicilian dishes, especially as a stuffing for ravioli or in pastries but it is most well known for being used sweetened with sugar for making Cannoli and Cassata. Also popular is Ricotta Salata, this is ricotta that has been drained in woven baskets, salted and dried in the Sicilian sun for many weeks. It is a popular garnish for pasta dishes especially Pasta alla Norma.

Pasta Filata is a group of cheeses that are known as Caciocavallo. The word comes from the ancient technique of hanging cheeses from poles as if over a horses back (Cavallo means Horse).The most well known cheeses in this group are Ragusano D.O.P and Provola, which has a distinctive pear shape. Caciocavallo is ripened for at least six months. Its core is yellowish gold and has a full, lightly sweet taste. It is also sold smoked.

Pasta Pressata means hand pressed, semi-cooked cheese. Examples of these types of cheeses are Pecorino Siciliano, which includes tuma, primosale and stagionato. Pecorino Siciliano has culinary roots in antiquity and was described by Pliny as one of the best cheeses of his time. Young pecorino is called Primo Sale and is used like Mozzarella, riper versions provide a delicious alternative to Parmesan.


We have had our Sicilian home for 10 years but there are still some Sicilian cheeses that I cannot recognise, so I am going to pass you over to the experts.

Family run La Bottega del Formaggio is located in Taormina on Via Bagnoli Croci, the road that leads down to the Public Gardens (Formaggio means Cheese).

Newly opened earlier this year all their cheese is produced on the family’s farm in the countryside just outside Taormina.

They have an abundance of cheese to buy and the lovely Concettina will help you taste and choose a cheese to suit your palate. My favourite is the Pecorino made with black peppercorns, there is also a new trend in cheese making of adding ingredients such as pepperoncino (chilli pepper) sundried tomato, walnuts and pistachio which you can find in the shop. I have to say the combination of pistachio in cheese is mind-blowingly wonderful.

They also have an array of preserved produce in jars of yummy Sicilian olives, sundried tomatoes, peppers and vegetables. Also jars of jams and marmalades. There is also an extensive choice of Sicilian wine.

When visiting the shop there is a television screen up above the counter showing the methods of how their cheeses are produced on their farm.

Our tip is to purchase some cheese, salami and olives then have a picnic in the public gardens overlooking the Bay of Naxos, Mount Etna and the sparkling Ionian Sea, wine optional.

Buonissimo.

La Bottega del Formaggio is one of our “Top 50 Taormina Tips”, Follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/La-Bottega-Formaggio-Taormina

Read our most popular blog post Our Top 50 Taormina Tips for more information on fun things to do whilst staying in Taormina. 

If you enjoyed this foodie post then you will love these ones, search our archive for;
an abundance of Lemons .....
an abundance of Oranges .....
an abundance of Almonds .....







Thank you for following me at White Almond Sicily

For NEW Blog updates and all things Sicilian

You can also follow me on
Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google + and Linkedin

I am also a contributor to www.timesofsicily.com

for Travel Advice and Recomendations 

Popular posts from this blog

Why I Love Autumn in Sicily 🍂🍁

Image
It is very hard to choose which is my favourite season in Sicily … At the moment we divide our time between London and Giardini Naxos and twice a year we drive with our dog to our Sicilian home in Spring and Autumn and fly in for short breaks in Summer and Winter time. Sicilian summers are not suitable for our dogs and their little English paws and winter is very quiet and most places are closed for the season, although it is a great time to have our town back to ourselves. So we get the best of both worlds, a Sicilian Spring and Autumn in Sicily and an English Summer and a traditional English Christmas in UK.  With temperature in mind the best time of year to visit Sicily is in May, June, September, October and November. Every season is beautiful even winter when you can ski on Mount Etna. Summer is wonderful but it is very hot in July and August and the beaches are very crowded. Autumn, or as my followers across the pond in America called it “Fall”, is harvest time, in Sicily this me
Read more

25 Sicilian Myths and Legends

Image
Sicily is a place full of myths and legends and there are many stories associated with the island. From the stories of nymphs and gods from Greek and Roman mythology to tragic love stories from an exotic era when the island was under Arabic, Norman and Spanish rule. Some stories have happy endings and some not so happy endings.  What is a legend? Legends are stories which are thought to be based on true events but have developed fictional elements that have deep significance to the culture from which they originate. For example historians claim that King Arthur really existed but his existence is shrouded in different legends, such as is his final resting place on Mount Etna?  What is a myth? Myths are stories derived from cultural traditions or legends most of which have a deep symbolic meaning and usually involve a lesson that will be helpful to the listener or reader. Mythical characters are often non-human in some form or related to a god or supernatural being, often set in ancient
Read more

Forza d'Agro

Image
In the Godfather Part I, when Michael Corleone (Al  Pacino) and his two bodyguards are walking in the hills, they see a picturesque village in the distance, they point and remark “Corleone”. The town in the distance is in fact Forza d' Agro a short drive from Taormina. Forza d’Agro is an ancient hill-top town and is a warren of narrow streets and tiny houses leading up to a ruined Norman castle. Most of the stone paved lanes here are impassable by cars. The town was also used as a filming location for The Godfather Part II and III. In the opening scene of The Godfather Part II, following the assassination of young Vito Corleone’s father, the funeral procession was shot in the dry riverbed below Forza d’Agro, Michael’s older brother is assassinated in this scene after being found hiding in the hills. Following this his mother is also brutally murdered, and so being the only surviving male, Vito Corleone must escape Sicily and with the help of local residents he c
Read more