THE CACIOCAVALLO OF CASTELFRANCO IN MISCANO

Production and direct sales

History

Castelfranco in Miscano is a town of in the Fortore Valley in the Province of Benevento, situated on the border with the Apulian Tavoliere, lapped by the Regio Tratturo Candela-Pescasseroli. Thanks to its geographical position it has inherited an ancient knowledge that is being handed down to the present day.

Since the Neolithic period, as evidenced by the findings of copper kettles for milk, in Alta Murgia, the sylvo-pastoral vocation of the Apulian territory and the neighboring one was clear.
From the Samnites to the Aragonese up to the present day, there are numerous historical references to the activity of transhumance, meaning moving cattle to pasture by season.
In the old days, caciocavallo was the currency used by shepherds and cowherds to pay for the right to move their livestock during the cold months.

At that time, the cattle were represented by the white breeds suitable for the work of the fields like the Podolica, and then followed by the the Marchigiana breed.
Today, there are significantly present the dual-purpose meat / milk breeds such as Bruna Alpina and Pezzata Rossa bred with animal husbandry respecting animal welfare.
The diet is made up of polifita hay with clover, vetch and oats, but straw is also used with corn, barley, tritello, and bran flours.

The production of Caciocavallo di Castelfranco in Miscano

In the Caseria Agricultural Company, the production of caciocavallo takes place all year, mainly from April to September, through the transformation of the fresh milk from that morning’s milking, worked within an hour or two in order to avoid any bacterial contamination.
To obtain the transformation of the cow’s milk in the morning, rennet is added to the milk in a wooden vat at a temperature of about 38° celsuis. After about 25 to 30 minutes, the milk coagulates and the curds are made by using a wooden stick to break it up into granules, which then rest for a few minutes until the solids separate from the liquids, creating the whey.

The spinning test is obtained by immersing a small piece in boiling water. If the test shows that the piece is ready to be cut into thin slices, after adding boiling water, the stringy dough is worked with a stick making it into the shape of a long rope, after which it is rolled and worked by hand to make it into the shape of the Caciocavallo di Castelfranco in Miscano.

The aging will last at least 3 to 6 months, resulting in a cheese with a smooth and thin rind, a straw yellow color, some holes, and an intense scent of grass from the pastures where the cattle feed.

Our farm offers the direct sale of Caciocavallo di Castelfranco of its own production.

If you are interested in our caciocavallo, click on the following button.