Pizzo Marcello Organic Soft Pecorino Cheese

Raw sheep's milk from Abruzzo pastures, processed at low temperatures, aged for 1-4 months 

The pecorino cheese that bears the name of the pasture high above the company, preserves in its paste all the seasonality of the herbs of Abruzzo

Pecorino Pizzo Marcello from the La Porta dei Parchi organic farm

Il Organic Pecorino Pizzo Marcello of the ASCA Cooperative – Bioagriturismo La Porta dei Parchi of Anversa degli Abruzzi is a soft pecorino cheese of the highest quality which tells - in every bite - the wild nature and pastoral wisdom of the high lands of Abruzzo. The name “Marcello Lace” derives directly from highland pasture behind the farm, a small hill that rises beyond the sheepfold and where the Cooperative's sheep graze freely during the summer, grazing on the wild herbs of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise and the surrounding parks. The composition is very simple and essential: organic raw sheep's milk, rennet e sea ​​salt. Nothing elseNo added laboratory ferments, no preservatives, no additives: the pecorino comes to life thanks to the native bacterial flora of freshly milked milk, the maturing cellar and the surrounding woods. The whole form reaches the 3 kg approx., with a maturation of About 3 months at the time of packaging - times that testify to the artisanal and fresh nature of the product, far from the logic of large-scale industrial distribution.

The roots of Pecorino Pizzo Marcello lie in the transhumance of Abruzzo shepherds.

Il pecorino cheese is one of humanity's oldest dairy traditions: Cato the Censor since From Agri Culture (2nd century BC), Pliny the Elder of Naturalis Historia e Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella since De Re Rustica (1st century AD) already describe the production of sheep's cheeses in ancient Rome, and in particular the caseus formaticus — ancestor of the modern Pecorino Romano — which was the staple food of the Roman legions on campaign. sheep's milk tradition of Abruzzo it is rooted in the great practice of transhumance: every spring, for millennia, the shepherds of Abruzzo led their flocks from the winter pastures of Tavoliere delle Puglie towards i high-altitude summer pastures of the Majella, of the Gran Sasso, of the Laga Mountains and of the Anversa Mountains, following the ancient sheep tracks — grassy paths up to 110 meters wide, carved out over the centuries by the passage of sheep. In 2019, the transhumance sheep tracks were recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO., definitively establishing the cultural value of a practice that has now almost disappeared and which ASCA contributes to preserving. Pecorino Pizzo Marcello is the direct heir of this tradition: produced as it was once done, with the freshly milked milk in the morning from grazing sheep, hand-worked, patiently aged. variety of herbs that the sheep graze on changes with the seasons - spring blooms of dandelions and buttercups, rich summer grasses in the mountain pastures, last autumn scents before returning to the valley - and each production contains the botanical signature of the season in the paste: aromas that cannot be replicated in any other way, because they come directly from the meadows that the sheep have eaten.

Raw milk: ASCA's technical expertise and regulatory battle

Work the raw, unpasteurized milk It is a production choice of extremely high technical difficulty and of enormous organoleptic value. It requires a hygienically perfect supply chain: healthy sheep, impeccable milking, milk transported and processed very quickly at controlled temperatures. ASCA — as told in the producer's history — was protagonist of a historic regulatory battle in the 90s against the ASL of the Abruzzo Region, which initially imposed mandatory pasteurization: a decision that would have 70% of the organoleptic characteristics were erased of typical cheeses. The battle won by the Cooperative, thanks to the introduction of a register of typical Abruzzo dairy products and specific regulations for raw milk cheesemaking, have allowed us to preserve age-old recipes like this one. Technically, Pecorino Pizzo Marcello is processed at low temperatures (36-38°C) — roughly corresponding to the sheep's body temperature — precisely for fully preserve the nutritional and organoleptic value of the raw material: active enzymes, thermolabile vitamins, noble bacterial flora, volatile aromatic compounds. curd breaking is milder compared to the classic pecorino procedure - a technical variation that gives the characteristic soft paste, melting, with delicate lactic notes. The maturing takes place in cold and humid environment on axes of Wood for a period that varies from one to four months, depending on the producer's preferences and the time of year: time, patience, care, wood, temperatures and the right humidity do the rest, enriching the cheese during maturation with increasingly concentrated aromas and flavours.

Choosing Pizzo Marcello means choosing sensory authenticity and noble proteins

Pecorino Pizzo Marcello offers a rich and typical nutritional profile of great aged sheep's milk cheeses made from raw milk. With 413 kcal per 100g e 34,4 g of fat (of which 30,2 g saturated), is a substantial and nutritious food, like all raw milk cheeses of the great Italian dairy tradition - to be consumed in the right quantities, as a condiment or a characterizing dish rather than as a daily food in large quantities. 23,5 g of noble proteins per 100 g — an excellent supply of essential amino acids in a highly bioavailable form, with a complete protein profile that includes all the essential amino acids in optimal proportions. raw sheep's milk It is naturally richer than cow's milk Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins (especially B2, B12 and folates) and short and medium chain fatty acids that make it more digestible of cow's milk. The processing low temperatures and the seasoning in a natural environment preserves the noble bacterial flora typical of raw milk cheeses, which brings benefits to the intestinal flora and which is considered one of the qualitative distinctive traits of the great traditional European cheeses. Contains lactose in reduced quantities (carbohydrates 2,47 g per 100 g) thanks to the lactic fermentation during maturation — better tolerated by people with mild lactose intolerance than industrial fresh cheeses (but should be avoided by those who are intolerant or allergic). Gluten free naturally. To be consumed with the awareness that it is a excellent food, alive and with a low transformation rate.

How to Best Use: Pecorino Pizzo Marcello

• GOURMET CHOPPING BOARD AND SIGNATURE APERITIF
  The most used noble of Pecorino Pizzo Marcello — especially in the fresher maturations of 1-2 months, when the paste is soft and the aromas more delicate — is the gourmet cutting board of the great Italian tradition. Cut it into slices about half a centimeter thick and arrange it on the cutting board together with other cheeses from the catalog such as Fresh Falisco Pecorino (for a regional comparison Lazio-Abruzzo), the Lactose-Free Amerina Caciotta or Pecorino Aged in Walnut LeavesPair it with artisanal jams for the classic sweet-savory contrast: the organic red onion mustard (for a Lazio-Abruzzo pairing), the Extra Fig Jam for a sweet-balsamic note, or a teaspoon of Chestnut Honey from Viterbo for the most mature seasoning. Splendid with Organic Sorrento Walnuts and a few fresh grapes or raisins. Serve with lightly toasted, homemade ancient-grain bread.
• IN TRADITIONAL PASTA AND FIRST COURSES
  Pecorino Pizzo Marcello — especially in the more matured 3-4 months, when the aromas are more concentrated and the texture more structured — is splendid in first courses from the great Abruzzo and Lazio tradition. Try it grated on spaghetti cheese and pepper, its tonnarelli alla gricia, its bucatini all'amatriciana (replacing or accompanying Pecorino Romano), on pasta carbonara for a softer and less salty variant. Splendid as the main ingredient of a homemade fondue: 200 g pecorino cheese + 200 ml cream or sheep's milk + a spoonful of flour, heated over low heat until melted, to be served as fondue pot with bread and raw vegetables. Exceptional in risotto creamed at the end of cooking — instead of the classic Parmesan — for a more rustic and fragrant note. Try it in Abruzzo polenta of spun corn, in Gnocchi Alla Romana, in rustic pizzas Abruzzo and Lazio, in vegetable flan And in the soufflé.
• IN SECOND COURSES, IN GOURMET SALADS AND PAIRINGS WITH WINE
  for preparation of second courses and side dishesPecorino Pizzo Marcello is an excellent ingredient in numerous recipes: Eggplant Parmesan in the Abruzzo version with pecorino instead of Parmesan, gratinated vegetables baked (zucchini, fennel, Abruzzo cardoons), omelettes rustic, stuffed focaccias, savory pies. Gorgeous in gourmet salads: rocket + Pizzo Marcello flakes + Abate pears + Pecan Nuts + EVO oil + a few drops of balsamic vinegar. For signature wine pairings, especially with the more mature ages: try it with a Organic Chianti DOCG (the soft tannins of the Sangiovese beautifully accompany the savouriness of the pecorino), with the Osarella Sangiovese Malauva (Umbria), with structured white wines such as the Organic Spareto Bianco IGT for fresh seasonings, or with the Malauva White for a combination of character and tradition.

The Producer: La Porta dei Parchi Organic Farmhouse — ASCA Cooperative

The ASCA Cooperative of Antwerp of the Abruzzi (AQ) It is one of the most fascinating experiences of Italian organic agriculture: founded in 1977 by Nunzio Marcelli, developed since 1982 together with Manuela (Tuscan, graduated in Agricultural Sciences in Florence), has almost 40 years of extensive organic pastoralism In the highlands of Abruzzo, on the border between the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park and the region's other major parks. Certified ICEA Organic, inserted into the circuit Slow Food and Taste Workshops, is famous for the pioneering project “Adopt a sheep, protect nature" and for having won a historic regulatory battle for the defense of raw milk in traditional Abruzzo cheeses. Produces 15 varieties of sheep and goat cheeses, sheep salami, juniper-smoked ricotta and organic wool.

Ingredients

LATTE raw organic sheep*, rennet, sea salt.

*From ICEA-certified Italian organic farming. Raw, unpasteurized milk. Processed at low temperatures (36-38°C). Aged on wood in a cool, humid natural environment for 1-4 months. Contains milk and its derivativesGluten-free. Naturally without added enzymes, preservatives, colorants, or additives. Not suitable for lactose intolerant people (lactose in small quantities due to natural fermentation, but still present in traces).

Food container

Store in refrigerator (4-8°C) Store in the original vacuum-sealed packaging until ready to consume. The expiration date is printed on the packaging (approximately one month from packaging and shipping). Once opened vacuum packaging is recommended wrap the pecorino in baking paper or in a slightly damp cotton cloth and store it in a container with a lid in the refrigerator, consuming it within 7 10-days to best enjoy its aromas. Before consumption, it is recommended to remove it from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before to allow the pasta to return to room temperature: the pecorino expresses its best qualities complex aromas only at room temperature, while the cold of the refrigerator significantly attenuates them. Any small crystals on the surface or in the dough are crystallized tyrosine — an amino acid naturally present in milk that crystallizes during maturation: it is not a defect, but index of quality and natural seasoning.

Nutritional Values ​​(average values ​​per 100g of product)

• Energy: 1.713 kJ / 413 kcal
• Fat: 34,4 g (of which saturated fatty acids: 30,2 g)
• Carbohydrates: 2,47 g (of which sugars: <0,50 g)
• Fiber: 0,10 g
• Protein: 23,5 g
• Salt: 1,71 g

Since this is a handcrafted product, slight variations in weight are possible, variations that preserve the integrity of the product and testify to its authentically traditional nature.

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