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Stravecchio di malga
History
Stravecchio di malga from the Plateau of Asiago is an aged cheese produced from cow’s milk, which has
semi-cooked, hard pasta. It is produced with raw milk with the addition of curds and salt. This cheese is produced exclusively in the period when the animals are at pasture, normally from milk produced by the brown alpine, Fresian and Rendena races. This cheese has been famous for at least three hundred years. In the past it was widely known and appreciated by the Austrians. In particular, it was never missing from the table of Emperor Francesco Giuseppe. The form is cylindrical and it is almost straight, having a height of about 9 - 12 cm, a diameter of 30 - 36 cm and a weight between 7 and 9 kilos. It has a thin, smooth and regular ochre yellow crust. It is produced with skimmed milk from two milkings, with the addition of curds and salt. The environment where the animals are raised which contribute to the production of Stravecchio di malga must be considered fundamentally important for the quality of the raw material (cow’s milk) and the finished product. The cow’s are raised in the fields, in natural pastures, at altitudes above 700 metres. The availability of natural pastures, the healthiness of the farms and the distance from sources of bacterial and chemical contamination influence the taste of Stravecchio. The cow’s are kept in the pasture or in the traditional barns and subjected to health controls and all preventive treatments required by law.
Stravecchio di malga is certified by the “Land of Palladio” Consortium, which certifies the origin.
Recipes
Spinach soup and overaged Malga cheese
4 servings
800 g. fresh spinach
200 g. potatoes, 1 green onion
40 g. butter, 1 l. vegetables broth
50 g. fresh cream
50 g. overaged Malga cheese.
Wash spinach, drain and mince. Slice green onion and brown with butter. Add spinach. Pour broth and diced potatoes. Cook in a covered pan for 15 minutes on low heat. When it's ready, mix in a blender to obtain the soup. Serve cream soup and the shaved overaged chese in a soup-bowl. Serve on dishes and sprinkle black pepper, toasted bread and a fine slice of overaged cheese. Notice that you can cook this cream soup with a wide variety of boiled vegetables and follow the same procedure.
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