Casizolu

Slow Food Presidium

Italy

Sardinia

Milk and milk products

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Casizolu

Despite being known as a land of sheep and sheep’s cheese, the Montiferru area, an enchanting corner of Sardinia a few kilometers from Oristano, is also home to an ancient, highly prized, stretched-curd cow’s milk cheese. In the past it was traditionally made by women, who processed the fresh milk, working the curds in hot water to form the cheese’s typical rounded pear shape. When the cheese is aged for longer than a couple of months, it starts to unite green, grassy, buttermilk notes with hints of forest and leaves and a slightly almondy finish.

Season

Production occurs from autumn to early summer

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Casizolu is generally produced at home by the farmers, who rarely sell it on the market. The Presidium unites several of them, who raise cross-breed and Sardo Bruna cows. The cheesemaking process is lengthy and requires skill and patience. After the curd is broken with a tool called a “spino”, it is left to rest until it reaches a specific stage of lactic fermentation, which can take hours. The curd might be ready in the evening, in the middle of the night or at dawn. At this point, pieces of curd are stretched while being heated in hot water. The curd is then further stretched and shaped in cold water. The Presidium producers follow a production protocol and belong to the Montiferru Casizolu producers’ association.

Production area
Montiferru, Oristano Province

Producers

Giovanni Borrodde
Viale Azuni, 47
Santu Lussurgiu (Or)
Tel. +39 347 6756874 - 349 3668793
giovanniborrodde@virgilio.it

Giampaolo Piu
Viale Domenico Alberto Azuni, 199
Santu Lussurgiu (Or)
Tel. +39 338 5697976
giampaolo.piu@libero.it

Giuseppe Sanna
Via Merello, 17
Paulilatino (Or)
Tel. +39 333 3283162
sannapeppe58@gmail.com
Slow Food Presidium Coordinator
Pietro Paolo Arca
Tel. +39 349 0988739
slowfood.terreoristanesi@gmail.com

Presidium producers’ Coordinator
Giuseppe Sanna
Tel.+39 333 3283162
sannapeppe58@gmail.com
Casizolu is generally produced at home by the farmers, who rarely sell it on the market. The Presidium unites several of them, who raise cross-breed and Sardo Bruna cows. The cheesemaking process is lengthy and requires skill and patience. After the curd is broken with a tool called a “spino”, it is left to rest until it reaches a specific stage of lactic fermentation, which can take hours. The curd might be ready in the evening, in the middle of the night or at dawn. At this point, pieces of curd are stretched while being heated in hot water. The curd is then further stretched and shaped in cold water. The Presidium producers follow a production protocol and belong to the Montiferru Casizolu producers’ association.

Production area
Montiferru, Oristano Province

Producers

Giovanni Borrodde
Viale Azuni, 47
Santu Lussurgiu (Or)
Tel. +39 347 6756874 - 349 3668793
giovanniborrodde@virgilio.it

Giampaolo Piu
Viale Domenico Alberto Azuni, 199
Santu Lussurgiu (Or)
Tel. +39 338 5697976
giampaolo.piu@libero.it

Giuseppe Sanna
Via Merello, 17
Paulilatino (Or)
Tel. +39 333 3283162
sannapeppe58@gmail.com
Slow Food Presidium Coordinator
Pietro Paolo Arca
Tel. +39 349 0988739
slowfood.terreoristanesi@gmail.com

Presidium producers’ Coordinator
Giuseppe Sanna
Tel.+39 333 3283162
sannapeppe58@gmail.com

Territory

StateItaly
RegionSardinia

Other info

CategoriesMilk and milk products