Cheese can be used in many ways and help compliment a dish to elevate its overall taste. It is known that pasta is always the body while the sauce and other herbs bring in the taste but adding cheese to it helps in bringing a balance to the whole dish and becomes the main character. Cheese can be used in many ways and brings a notable depth as a flavor enhancer.
Is it just from one source?
The first thought of cheese makes people co-relate it with cows. It is not wrong as most countries produce most of their dairy products by using cow's milk, but in terms of Italian cheese and its variety most of the cheese which is being utilized on a daily basis could have been produced using goat milk, sheep milk or even buffalo milk since the fattiness in the milk helps bring in different flavor and texture.
Four Types of Italian Cheese
Italy is a country where you can find many types of different cheese, the cheese that you find can vary from soft cheese just as a burrata to hard ones such as parmesan. It is to be noted that the cheese produced comes from different types of milk based on different locations which gives a different smell, texture, and flavor. Many of these cheese can be eaten as it is( which I usually do) or could be used in cooking e.g. Using parmesan cheese to make a pesto sauce. Let us get into the list of few cheeses that are loved in Italy and used on a daily basis in Italian cuisine.
Mozzarella
Be it in Italy or in any part of the world, mozzarella has been a favorite of many people from around the globe. Mozzarella can be seen often referred to as different types of cheese, but originally mozzarella is a cheese made from buffalo milk which is quite soft yet firm in texture. Mozzarella can be used in a pizza, a salad, a lasagna, and more.
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quite of you might very well know this cheese as "The Parmesan" which we always love when the waiter or the chef rains it over our pasta dishes. Parmesan is simply in its term the King of cheese, very well known for its beautiful texture, flakiness, and its beautiful aroma which is undeniably irresistible. It is known to be made in areas of Parma, Reggio-Emilia, Modena, and other various parts of Bologna.
Mascarpone
One of the tastiest, creamiest, most delightful, and a key ingredient in the world-famous tiramisu. Mascarpone is made using a process where the moisture is completely drained out from the cream of the cow's milk, which is drained through a fine woven cloth. Mascarpone is mostly used in desserts such as tiramisu, limanisu (made using mascarpone & limoncello), cheesecake, and more, but mascarpone has many other uses as it is often used as a substitute for butter and parmesan in the making of risotto giving a light and foamy feel to it.
Ricotta
Ricotta cheese is often seen to be filled in a square or semi-circle-shaped dumpling along with a complementary product to give us an end result of an extraordinary dish that leaves our mouth craving for more and more. Ladies and Gentlemen say thanks to Ricotta, Ricotta is made from the leftover from the production of various kinds of cheese, as ricotta in its particular term means to be re-cooked. The end product of this particular cheese is usually creamy white with a hint of sweetness to it.
