Skamortsa is not a very pleasant word for a Russian ear. And if you learn that it comes from the Italian capa mozza, meaning "severed head", then the fantasy will surely take us to some cave with orcs. But, in fact, everything is not so bad. Scamorza is an Italian cheese in the Pasta Filata category. It got its name due to its unusual pear-shaped shape. In the process of drying it is suspended with a rope for one third of the cheese body. As a result, it seems that a little bellied man is hanging. Sometimes the scorpion is even called "strangled cheese." Do you want to get to know him better? So let's open all his secrets.
Appearance version
Skamorca does not have such a rich, accurately dated history as other widely known Italian cheeses. Perhaps the reason is that it does not apply to DOP products whose lives are clearly tracked and manufacturing traditions are strictly adhered to.
The roots of the scallop lie in the history of Provolone cheese, which you can read about in our article "Provolone - Hard Italian Cheese".
There is an opinion that the scorca was born by chance in the south of Italy at the end of the XIX century as a result of an error in the preparation of provolon.
The curd clot turned out to be too acidic, so a hotter liquid was used to process it. So we got a new kind of cheese. This theory is credible, since milk processing technologies for Scandor and Provolone are very similar.
How to cook in production
Scorpion is currently being prepared in many regions of Italy, but the main production facilities are concentrated in Molise, Abruzzo, Puglia and Calabria.
Although cheese production is not strictly regulated, the core of technology at all cheese factories remains unchanged. Produce scaffold from cow's milk. There are variations using sheep, goat, or even buffalo milk, but they are not common.
Raw milk is placed in steel boilers and heated to 35-37 degrees, stirring slowly, so that the heat is evenly distributed. When the raw materials reach the required temperature, serum and rennet are added to it, left to curd for about 20 minutes. Then the cheese maker breaks the clot with a special tool to particles the size of a grain of corn. Then the mass is heated to 40-42 degrees for 3-8 hours for ripening and complete sedimentation of the cheese.
The cheese maker determines the end of the process as follows: he takes a lump of clot from the boiler, puts it in hot water and determines its ability to stretch (if the cheese becomes rubber and stretches without breaking, then you can go to the next stage).
The cheese clot is removed from the vat, placed on tables for draining excess whey and cut into small slices. Then each slice is placed in hot water with a temperature of 80 degrees and continuously stretched by hand until the cheese body becomes homogeneous. First, the sconces are given a spherical shape, and then, pressing down with their thumbs, form the "neck" of the cheese.
The heads are washed in cold water for about 30 minutes and then placed for salting for 20 minutes in brine. Salted cheeses are tied with ropes and hung for drying for several days.
They produce scabor both fresh and smoked (Scamorza Affumicata). It is worth noting that the variety scamorza affumicata is more popular among Italian consumers.
What is the difference between scorona, provolone and kachokavallo
You won’t believe it, but some people in Italy don’t even know that there is a difference between smoked versions of Scador cheese, Provolone and Caciocavallo cheeses. The point is not that they are similar in tastes, for real gourmets this is not at all true. Just ordinary consumers sometimes do not think about what they buy completely different cheeses. All these cheeses are similar only in that they belong to the categories of filat pasta.
So, what is the difference between provolone and scador cheese:
- Provolone is made only from cow's milk. There are several options for dairy raw materials for scandor, not including cow, (buffalo, goat, sheep);
- When cooking scorpions after curdling, the mass is boiled, the manufacture of provolone passes without this process;
- The weight of the pear-shaped head of provolone reaches 1 kg, at the scapula does not exceed 500 g;
- Smoked scoracea matures in a few days, provolone - not less than 3 months;
- The taste of Provolone Affumicato is spicy, Scamorza Affumicata is delicate, slightly sweet, both with a smoky aroma;
The difference of smoked kachokavallo from Scador cheese in terms of raw materials and technology repeats the first 3 points of the difference with provolone. Cachocavallo is a seasoned cheese whose maturation lasts at least a year. In this connection, his taste becomes spicy, slightly spicy.
What to eat and what to cook
Skamortsa is a semi-soft cheese whose texture resembles mozzarella. The taste of the fresh variety is sweet, delicate with the aroma of milk. The consistency is elastic, the color of the crust is pale yellow, the body is white. The smoked version has a smoky aroma, the texture is more compact, the color is straw-brown.
Often, Italian housewives, having at hand a scortilla, replace her with mozzarella in recipes. A fresh version will enrich the taste of salads, meat. In grated form they sprinkle pizza, pasta, risotto, as it melts perfectly.
Scamorza Affumicata is consumed on its own, added to soups to add a smoked flavor. It goes well with basil, sweet pepper, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar. Smoked scorotka is a wonderful aperitif to mature wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Orvieto.
It is necessary to store scandor in the refrigerator with wrapped cling film for no more than 4-5 days.
The recipe for fried scamorza affumicata is especially popular in Italy. And we, as devoted friends of all housewives, are in a hurry to share it.
Scallop recipe
For fried delicacy you will need:
- 200 g smoked scorice;
- 100 g of flour;
- 100 g breadcrumbs;
- 1 egg
- Salt;
- Cooking oil for frying;
- Lettuce leaves for serving.
Cut the scallop into circles 1 cm thick. Beat the egg well. Roll the cheese slices in flour, then in the egg and in breadcrumbs. Be careful and try to distribute the breading evenly. Put the resulting semi-finished product on a plate and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes (so the cheese does not melt when frying ahead of time). Heat the oil in a pan in such an amount that it covers the slices completely, and fry them until golden brown. To remove excess fat, pat dry the scallop with a paper towel. Serve such a deliciously delicious dish preferably on lettuce leaves, pre-salt, unless, of course, your family does not eat it earlier.
You can replace the scorienta in recipes for domestic chefs using smoked cheeses such as suluguni or sausage cheese. When choosing the latter option, it is worth paying attention to the authenticity of the cheese, as often on the Russian shelves in this form there is a cheese product.
Calorie content and benefits
The calorie content of scorot is lower than that of other cheeses. 100 g of product contain:
- 334 kcal;
- Proteins 25 g;
- Fats 25.6 g;
- Carbohydrate 1 g;
- Cholesterol 65 mg.
Like all Italian cheeses, Scorpion is an excellent source of protein.that are needed in the body to build muscle tissue, for the synthesis of hormones and enzymes, for the formation of cells of the immune system. The increased protein content in the diet of athletes, children, pregnant and lactating women is very important.
Calcium and phosphorus, which are contained in sufficient amounts in scandium (392 g and 229 g, respectively), maintain a healthy state of human bones and teeth.
The equivalent activity of retinol (vitamin A) in 100 g of cheese is 268. This means that a portion of cheese in 50 g will cover 19% of the daily need for this vitamin. He is responsible for normal vision, participates in the thyroid gland and interferes with inflammatory processes.
With all the positive properties, it is worth noting that most of the fats in the scab are saturated. Therefore, it should be used with caution in people who have problems with being overweight.
Price in Italy and in Russia
Due to the fact that the production of Scorpius is not strictly regulated and widespread throughout Italy, cheese belongs to the products of a low price category.
When you come to Italy, you can buy scandor in almost any store at a price of 2.5 to 4 Euros per 250 g or about 15 Euros per 1 kg
On the Russian shelves you can find a variant of domestic Scador cheese at a price of 250-300 rubles per 250 g. Some online stores may offer you 250 grams of Italian scallop for 500 rubles.
That's all the information you could find about the unfortunate "headless" cheese. It seems that it is worth going to Italy to fully plunge into such a beautiful cheese world. Live merrily, love desperately, travel light and remember: "You will not strangle the scorpion cheese, you will not kill, but you will eat with pleasure!"
