Canestrato Pugliese Dop
The pastoral vocation of the territory of the Alta Murgia near Bari has an ancient story which is linked without doubt to the Canestrato pugliese. The name of this cheese derives from the wicker basket in which it reaches maturation. The wicker baskets are a traditional product of the Puglia area. The production of Canestrato is linked to the transhumance practices, to which this cheese owes its diffusion. In modern times the change occurred in 1946 when the local farmers decided to form an association and become a wining team for the future of their farms and the environment in which they operated.
Consumption
The cheese is usually seasoned for around 90 days, and is fantastic with broad beans, pears, raw vegetables, and accompanied by white wines or rosé. The mature Canestrato pugliese is mainly used as grated cheese to flavour meat based dishes, but is also served with different vegetables such as olives, chicory and sedan. In this case the cheese is well accompanied by red wines such as Cabernet and Chianti.
Identification
The distinctive marks of Canestrato pugliese Dop
The authentic Canestrato pugliese Dop can be recognized by the special shape it takes from the moulds in which it is made and the paper labels with the product’s name affixed to the flat surfaces of the cheese.
I.D. card
- Type
- Hard cheese made from sheep milk
- Description
- The dough of the Canestraio pugliese is moulded on particular stamps which confer to it its characteristic aspects. Its cylindrical shape has a diameter which varies from 25 to 34 cm; the height is 10 to 14 cm and the weight is of 7 to 14 kg. The crust has a brownish colour is hard and its intensity depends on the period of maturation
- Characteristics
- The characteristic taste is spicy especially in the mature product and more delicate in the fresh product
- Area of production
- The area of production includes the entire area of the province of Foggia and numerous districts in the province of Bari
- Selling period
- All year round
- Normative references
- European registration with Council regulation (CE) n. 1107/96 issued on GUCE L 148/96, 21st June 1996; national recognition with DPR, 10th September 1995, issued on GURI n.112, 16th May 1986
