Zanetti Valpadana DOP Piccante 1kg (approx)

Serving suggestion: Piccante provolone with fish focaccia, honey, jams and red wine under a grapevine pergola, with a rustic pizza oven and Chianti hills behind.

Price Save $3.50

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Provolone Valpadana DOP Piccante is a sharp, semi-hard pasta filata (stretched curd) cheese made from whole cow's milk in northern Italy's Po Valley.

Culinary Uses

Tasting: Enjoyed on its own, paired with honey, jams, or full-bodied red wines like Barolo or Amarone.

Cooking: Grated over pasta and salads, melted into casseroles, or used on pizza.

Picante provolone has a complex flavour profile that sets it apart from standard mild provolone.

The Spicy Bite: The defining characteristic is its "piccante" (spicy) quality. It delivers a sharp, tongue-tingly piquancy that develops at the back of the throat, caused by the specialized enzymes in the lamb or goat rennet used during production.
Savory & Earthy: It is deeply savory, with rich undertones of toasted nuts, aged wood, and a distinct gamey or rustic quality from the animal rennet.
Salty & Sharp: It has a pronounced saltiness that balances its rich, fatty cow's milk base. The sharpness increases and becomes more concentrated the longer the cheese is aged.
Lactic Undertones: Beneath the sharp and spicy notes, there is a background of cooked milk, melted butter, and a slight tanginess.

As it ages beyond a year, the texture becomes flaky and the flavors intensify further, making it taste similar to a sharp, spicy cross between an aged Pecorino Romano and a high-quality Parmesan.

Note: this product is chilled and packed with nitrogen which slows ageing, (maybe I need some) and shipped overnight with a chill pack. Best to be bought in the Auckland area to get it to you quickly. Brands may vary from picture due to availability.

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