Casu cottu (di capra)Italy, Sardegna
Raw goat milk at milking warmth is set with kid rennet, cut to rice-grain curd and pressed into one block. Pieces go into baskets and are scalded in very hot whey to drive out more whey; the cheese is never salted. It is eaten very fresh, often flattened in hot water and roasted on embers as an Easter sweet with honey, or grilled and served salted.
- Rind
- None; white, basket-marked
- Size
- Cylinder 1.0–1.5 kg
- Season
- On request, traditionally for Easter and village feasts
- Bring the milk to milking temperature
- Set with kid rennet
- Cut the curd
- Press, cut and put into baskets
- Scald in hot whey
- Keep briefly in whey
Safety: Made from raw goat milk and eaten very fresh; the cheese is roasted or pan-cooked before eating.
Pafitiko tyri (Pafos cheese, flaouna cheese)Cyprus, Pafos district
Also called Παφίτικο τυρί, Pafos cheese, flaouna cheese.
Sheep milk, goat milk or a mix is heated and set with rennet; the curd is cut, stirred and slowly reheated, then pressed by hand into 'talaria' baskets woven from a marsh plant. The filled baskets are cooked for 30 minutes in hot whey, as halloumi is, and the cheese is turned, salted and dried for 4–5 days. It is made from February to April and is the traditional cheese for Easter flaounes.
- Season
- Made from February to April, when milk is plentiful, for Easter
- Rind
- Hard and yellowish, with the imprint of the talari basket
- Heat the milk and add rennet
- Cut and stir5–10 min
- Reheat while stirring30–45 min
- Press into talaria baskets
- Cook the baskets in hot whey30 min
- Turn and salt
- Dry4–5 days