Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese that is created from pasteurised cow's milk. It has a complex flavour profile and lovely scent. Provolone is a cheese that is frequently used to make sandwiches. It is also frequently served as a table cheese that is left out at room temperature and enjoyed with crusty bread, olives, thin slices of meats, and a glass of robust red wine.
Types Of Provolone
Genuine Italian provolone comes in both dolce and piccante kinds. Provolone dolce is a creamy cheese that melts in the mouth and has a sweet, nutty, and buttery flavour. It is still young because it has only had two to three months to mature. The taste of provolone piccante, which is matured for a significantly longer period, is sharper and saltier.
Provolone is made in numerous nations, and the flavour of the cheese varies according to the location of production. Today, the most significant region for making provolone is in northwest Italy, specifically in the city of Cremona.
Process Of Making Provolone Cheese
Provolone, like mozzarella, is a cheese with a stretched curd that is a member of the pasta filata cheese family. Warm cow's milk is first allowed to curdle, breaking the curds into little pieces and separating them from the whey, which is how provolone is formed. The curds are then immersed in a bath of hot water until they float to the top, as done by cheesemakers. The curds are then taken out of the water, combined, and kneaded until they take on a flexible, stringy texture. The cheese is then coated in a wax or plastic rind and allowed to mature in a cellar after soaking in a brine.
Difference Between Provolone Cheese And Mozzarella Cheese
Provolone and mozzarella are two Italian cheeses from the pasta filata family. These two varieties of cheese are distinctive from one another due to a number of apparent differences between them.
1. Production Process
A fresh calf's rennet is needed to make the cow's milk cheese provolone. On the other hand, ripening buffalo milk is used to make mozzarella. While mozzarella is a fresh cheese that does not need to perform the process of maturation, provolone is aged for at least a few months and occasionally up to a year.
2. Flavour
Compared to mozzarella, provolone has a significantly more varied flavour profile. Even the sweeter and milder provolone dolce has a tangier flavour than mozzarella.
3. Uses
Provolone and mozzarella are semi-soft and semi-hard cheeses, respectively, and are used for distinct things. Provolone is far more difficult to melt than mozzarella, thus mozzarella is a natural choice for pizza and creamy pasta sauces. The finest places to eat provolone are on sandwiches and on meats.
4. Shelf Life
To help extend its shelf life, fresh mozzarella is often wrapped in a brine solution, but once opened, it should be consumed within three to five days. On the other hand, provolone can keep for two to three weeks in the fridge.