Vastedda della valle del Belìce
The 'Vastedda della valle del Belìce', probably the only, but definitely one of the few ovine spun paste cheese.
Has a unique and characteristic flavor of fresh sheep's cheese, the taste is slightly sour but not sour.
The cheese is compact with some white streaks caused by the spinning craft.
The typical bun shape, with its slightly convex surfaces on sides, makes distinctive the Vastedda.
The Vastedda della valle del Belìce PDO must have a dish diameter between 15 and 17 cm. and height of the heel between 3 and 4 cm.
The weight is between 500 and 700 gr. in relation to the shape size and the surface is rind free, white ivory, compact smooth without pitting or bending.
The dough is uniform white color, smooth, not grainy, with possible streaks hints caused by the spinning craft. The hole formation should be absent or very poor, as well as sweating, whereas has characteristic smell of fresh sheep's milk, sweet, fresh and pleasant, with veins slightly sour. His fat content is not less than 35% of dry matter, while sodium chloride does not exceed 5% of dry matter.
The Vastedda della valle del Belìce shows interesting organoleptic properties.
Its protein content exceeds, on average, other kinds of fresh sheep cheese.
This primacy is achieved with its particular workmanship, Indeed, the spinning process generates a washout of the fat, with same weight, provides an increase of the contained proteins.
We are talking about an excellent source of nutritive principles, mainly proteins, liposoluble vitamins and minerals like phosphorus and calcium.
More than that, the lack of fat makes it a remarkable food, with lightness and digestibility features.
The milk is heated to 40 ° C after the addition of lamb curd. This is obtained by performing an old process which from lamb abomasum (stomach) allows to obtain a dough, defined precisely: curd. After about 50 minutes the curd is formed, then must be chopped to size of grain of corn.
At this step the bulk is moved into rattan baskets 'fuscelle', and allowed to stand. the cheese began to acidify, 24-48 hours later the masses are extracted and put into a container (piddiaturi), then add hot water and proceed to mix together using a wooden paddle (vaciliatuma), creating a single block.
The 'filatura' process (spun paste) takes place at this time. It proceeds the manufacturing out of the water. The dought is modeled by forming braids which are closed on themselves. The obtained forms are put into soup plates, which are turned upside down. Here, the cheese takes on the characteristic cake shape.
12 hours after, the cheese is moved from the dish, salted in brine and left to dry for 12-48 hours. You get a round shape product, with a weight of 500-700 g and a diameter of 15-17 cm.
The Vastedda is rind free, its surface is smooth and white. The dough, instead, is white without holes.
The taste is sweet and fresh whith slightly sour hints.
