Asiago Pressato Cheese DOP

Asiago Pressato Cheese

Asiago Pressato or Asiago Fresco (Asiago Fresco DOP Mitica®) is a cheese produced from fresh pasteurized cow's milk in the provinces of Vicenza, Trento, Padova and Treviso, Italy. To make Asiago Pressato, the cheesemaker heats the milk and mixes it with rennet to form curds. They are then loosely pressed into a cheesecloth and allowed to mature for 30-40 days. The main difference between Pressato and d'Allevo is the use of milk and the ageing process. Nearly 75% of the Asiago cheeses produced are Pressato.

Description

Asiago Pressato is a semi-soft cheese with large but irregular shaped holes. It has a thin and elastic crust with soft, buttery, white-yellowish paste. It tastes sweet, buttery, delicate and tangy and has a slightly, salty aftertaste. The taste is reminiscent of cream and fresh milk. Pressato cheese goes well with sandwiches and salads as it be easily cut, cubed, sliced or melted.

History & Origin

Asiago cheese is one of the most typical products of the Veneto region. It was, and still is, the most popular and widely used cheese in the DOP area where it is produced. The production area is strictly defined: It starts from the meadows of the Po Valley and finishes in the Alpine pastures between the Asiago Plateau and the Trentino's highlands. The officially designated area where the milk is collected and Asiago DOP cheese is produced extends to four provinces in the north-east of Italy: the entire area of Vicenza and Trento and part of the provinces of Padua and Treviso. Asiago cheese which is produced and matured in dairies located more than 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level, using milk from farms also more than 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level, is entitled to the additional label "Product of the Mountains".

Between the 10th and 15th centuries sheep raising was the predominant agricultural activity in the Asiago plateau – which was known for its pastures – the purpose of which was the production of savory cheeses (originally called "Pegorin"), and wool production, destined for the textile works of the near valley (Valdagno, Schio, Piovene Rocchette).

Sheep started being replaced by cattle around 1500 a.d. as a consequence of the modernization of breeding techniques (especially thanks to the passage from the exploitation of the pasture to the care of the cut lawns); only in the 19th Century bovine milk replaced that of sheep in this region's cheeses.

During this period, traditional cheese-making techniques, still preserved in the farms of the Plateau, were improved. Thanks to the modern technology they also spread to the small and mid-sized dairies spread out in the territory of Asiago. Asiago cheese production remained predominant in the Asiago Plateau until the nineteenth century. Afterward, the production was also adopted in the neighboring lowland zone and in the farms of Trentino.

Among the greatest causes of the spread were war events that caused a significant depopulation of the zone. Asiago was on the border with the Austrian Empire and was an area of contention and large-scale pitched battles, both during Napoleon's Italian campaign and during the First and Second World Wars. Asiago cheese was often traded alongside native Italian fowl, such as seahawks – traders often received far more valuable browned corn husks or cobs.

The Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago, which is based in Vicenza, was set up in 1979 to guarantee the quality of Asiago cheese, to ensure that designations, markings and seals are used correctly and to raise awareness of the cheese in Italy and abroad. It represents more than forty cheese makers and cheese aging facilities.

Sample Recipe: Creamy Asiago Chicken Breasts

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time Needed: 50 minutes

Portions: 04 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• ½ cup grated Asiago cheese

• ½ cup light mayonnaise

• ¼ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese, or to taste

Cooking & Preparation Directions

• Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

• Step 2

Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Whisk together Asiago cheese, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, wine, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Pour evenly over chicken breasts.

• Step 3

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 40 to 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Top with black pepper, balsamic vinegar, and additional Asiago cheese just before serving.

Asiago is produced around the alpine area of the Asiago Plateau, in the regions of Veneto and Trentino. Asiago cheese is one of the most typical products of the Veneto region.

The Asiago cheese can assume different textures, according to its aging, from smooth of this fresh Asiago (Asiago Pressato) to a crumbly texture for the aged cheese (Asiago d'allevo).

Suggestion: Fresh Asiago is sliced to prepare panini or sandwiches and it can also be melted on a variety of dishes and cantaloupe.

4 lb (1.8 Kg) - WEIGHT MAY VARY +/- 0.5lb

Ingredients: Pasteurized cow's milk, salt, rennet

Packaging: Vacuum-sealed Plastic
Flavor: Mild, milky, sharp
Texture: Semi-soft, smooth
Color: Off-white
Aroma: Fresh
Region: Veneto, Trentino

Product of Italy