Bra is an northItalian cheese with protected indication of origin.

History

Is designated since the end the 14. Century guaranteed cheese after the city of the same name Bra in the Piemont, on whose market the cheese masters from the surrounding mountains sold the matured cheese loaves. Today the European cheese fair Cheese takes place in Bra every two years. The annual output from Bra cheese amounts to around the 800 tons with rising tendency (1999: 788t/137.849 of loaves; 2000:801 t/144.093 of loaves; 2001:863 t/154.000 of loaves).

Production

First one leaves the cow's milk untouched of the abendlichen milking course over night in copper boilers. In the next morning the cream with putty, set off above, is removed and afterwards the morning milk is to it-mixed. Then one lets the mixture coagulate with the help of a starter culture and adds afterwards in small quantities something sheep and goat milk and on 27-32"° C warmed up lab of milk calves. The correct thickness degree of the developing gelatin is determined, by putting a straw into the mass, if this straight remains standing, is it perfectly and broken with a blade in circular motion and cut up to in size of barley grains, whereby a majority of the whey is set free. Before the set break comes into the forms, it is cut a second time. Pressed for the duration of one week the forms with a weighted Holzbrett and several times easily gesalzen. During the production of Bra tenero (see below: Variants) can be dipped the forms also into a satisfied brine. Afterwards the loaves come from the form and depending upon type for shorter or longer time in the ripe chamber are stored.

Characteristics

The radial loaves with straight lines or easily convex cheek and flat faces have a diameter of 35-40 cm with a height of 7-10 cm and a weight of 5-8 kg. Taste and condition of crust and paste depend on the type, see next section. Unfortunately all variants are very smell intensive.

Variants

Bra (DOPE) is manufactured in the province Cuneo and in the municipality Villafranca (Piemont) in the province Turin. It is available in two types:

• Bra tenero from full milk matures 45 days until 3 months and is a board cheese with aromatic taste. The paste is compactly and flexibly with more easily small punching, the crust evenly, very thinly and flexible, from straw-whiter to pergament grey color.
• Bra duro from teilentrahmter milk matures at least six months, as friction cheese one year and longer, and is a board and a friction cheese with intensive-spicy taste. The paste is drier than colored with tenero, the crust thinly, flexibly and brown.

Bra d'alpeggio (DOPE) is still completely relating to crafts manufactured in the hilly municipalities by Cuneo. The production engineering is very similarly that of the Bra from the level: Completely simple tools are used and the procedures are not not mechanized still. The crust is thinly and flexibly, white with the soft and beige or brown with the hard type. The paste tenero is lightbeige, that duro straw yellow.

Use

The Bra is in Genova a component of the local Pesto, in the rest of Piemont becomes it generally because of its quality estimated as board or friction cheese very. The Bra tenero actually all well removed red wines accompany pleasant, to the Bra duro fit outstanding a contentful, aromatic and acid-poor Grauburgunder.

Articles in category "Bra (cheese)"

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