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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Italy, Veneto, Monte Grappa massif

Bastardo del GrappaFormaggio bastardo del Grappa

Evening milk is left overnight in a cool room so the cream rises, skimmed, mixed with the morning milk and set with rennet at 38–42 °C. The curd is broken fine, heated again to 48–50 °C, lifted out in cloths, lightly pressed and brined for 4–5 days. The wheels ripen at least 25 days and can age past a year. Made in 6 steps over 31 days – 33 days. The longest step, ripen in the casarin, takes at least 25 days (Regione Veneto). Lactic flora of the raw, partly skimmed milk does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main stepat least 25 daysSet[veneto-atlante-bastardo][guffanti]Ripen in the casarin
Temperature38–42 °CSet[veneto-atlante-bastardo]Mix with morning milk and add rennet

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedThe atlas gives temperatures and times but no amounts. A wheel weighs 2.5–5 kg.
Cow milk, evening and morning milkings · Evening milk skimmed after standing overnight, then mixed with whole morning milk[veneto-atlante-bastardo]
Rennet[veneto-atlante-bastardo]
Salt · Brine for 4–5 days, or dry salt[veneto-atlante-bastardo]
Starter: none named; raw-milk flora on the malga

Total time across the recorded steps: 31 days – 33 days

Start
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What changes: The evening milk stands overnight in shallow tubs and the cream rises to the top

Step 1 of 6
Let the evening milk cream
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

Output: skimmed evening milk and cream.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

The name means "bastard" because the cheese is a cross between pressed Asiago and Asiago d'allevo. It is made from half-skimmed milk, cooked to 48–50 °C and only lightly pressed.

Milk
Partly skimmed cow milk; raw on the malga, heat-treated in valley dairies
Ripening
At least 25 days; can exceed a year
Size
Cylinder 2.5–5 kg, 20–35 cm across, 5–8 cm high
Composition
One seller gives 45 % fat in dry matter

Related ferments

Variants

  • MalgaMade on the summer pastures from raw milk, June to October.
  • Valley dairyMade from heat-treated milk.

Safety

The malga version uses raw milk; valley dairies heat-treat the milk. Wheels ripen at least 25 days.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

The atlas dates the cheese to the 1800s on the Grappa summer pastures. It probably spread after the Second World War, as living conditions in the mountains improved.

  1. [veneto-atlante-bastardo] Regione Veneto, Atlante dei prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali del Veneto, Formaggi, Formaggio bastardo del Grappa, p. 141gov
  2. [guffanti] Guffanti Formaggi, Bastardo del Grappa (product page)web