Kasseri

Kaseri (Greek κασέρι kasɛri, also Kasseri ) is a semi-solid, yellowish, ropy-dough cheese from Greece with a protected designation of origin since 1996. Related cheeses are Kefalo, Kaschkawal, Kasar peyniri and provolone.

History and origin

Kaseri is a variant of Kaschkawal type of ropy-dough cheese. The production of Kaschkawal cheese has been known since the 11th to the 12th century. Probably brought nomadic tribes from the East in pre-Christian times, this type of cheese being made in the Mediterranean region. A similar preparation process described by the Roman author Columella for a cheese known as ' manum pressum '. As Kaseri designated cheese is produced in Greece since the 19th century.

Since 1996 Kasseri is registered with a protected designation of origin. The cheese is produced in the Greek regions of Thessaly, Macedonia and the former prefectures of Xanthi and Lesbos. For the production of pasteurized sheep's milk or a mixture with a maximum of 20 % goat milk is used. The milk comes from animals within the geographic area, their diet is adapted to the flora. The fat content shall be at least 6%. For the production of raw milk is processed only of the highest quality in small dairies.

Description

The typical flat cylindrical cheeses reach a diameter of 25 to 30 cm and a height of 7 to 10 cm a weight between 7 and 8 kg [A 1], but they can also be formed rectangular. The thin crust can be coated with paraffin or other acceptable materials with plastic film to protect the loaf from drying out. The semi-solid to hard cheese has a compact white- yellowish mass and no or few evenly distributed small holes. The addition of goat's milk gives a harder cheese.

The fat content is at least 40% of the maximum permissible moisture content of 45%.