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Fermentation Atlas

Cheese from Italy

Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane DOPPecorino delle Balze Volterrane

Cylinder 10–30 cm across, 5–15 cm high; 0.6–2 kg (up to 7 kg for 'da asserbo'); straw-yellow rind, or grey if oiled and ashed. Made in 6 steps over 17 days – 55 days. The longest step, ripen on light wooden boards (poplar or fir); turn, brush and wash weekly, takes 7–44 days (Domanda di registrazione 'Pecorino delle Balz…) and runs at 6–16 °C (Domanda di registrazione 'Pecorino delle Balz…). raw-milk and whey-culture lactic acid bacteria does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step7–44 daysSet[eu-application][eu-reg][onaf-sheet]Ripen on light wooden boards (poplar or fir); turn, brush and wash weekly
Temperature6–16 °CSet[eu-application][eu-reg][onaf-sheet]Ripen on light wooden boards (poplar or fir); turn, brush and wash weekly
AciditypH 5.2Set[eu-application][eu-reg][onaf-sheet]Mould by hand; drain; 'stufatura' (warm holding) under whey
DocumentedCheese17 days – 55 daysMore other cheesesMore from Italy

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedWhat goes in. No source gives amounts for this ferment.
raw whole ewe milk
Starter: optional: thermophilic and/or mesophilic cultures or 'autofermenti' (natural whey cultures from the previous make)

Total time across the recorded steps: 17 days – 55 days

Start
Drag the bar or press Play
30–40 °CpH 5.2shapes, not to countLactic acid bacteria

What changes: Cultures go into raw milk warmed in a copper or steel pot

Step 1 of 6
Warm raw milk in a copper or steel 'pentola'; add cultures
Time
3–8 h
Set
Temperature
30–40 °C
Set
Salt
None given
Acidity
pH 5.2
Set
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria
Moulds

Output: inoculated milk.

Flavour
milky
Texture
liquid
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

LAB acidify

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

Variants

  • Fresco / Semistagionato / Stagionato / Da asserboripening time; 'da asserbo' (for keeping) >12 months and larger
  • Ash-and-oil rindrind rubbed with olive oil and holm-oak or poplar ash

Safety

Raw-milk cheese; fresco is sold after 7 days.

History and sources

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

PDO registered by Reg. (UE) 2015/271; the only Tuscan pecorino PDO made solely with vegetable (cardoon) rennet.

  1. [eu-application] Domanda di registrazione 'Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane', GU UE C 2014 (CELEX 52014XC0926(06)), via ONAFspec
  2. [eu-reg] Reg. di esecuzione (UE) 2015/271, via ONAFspec
  3. [onaf-sheet] ONAF technical sheet 'Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane' (id 220)web