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Marzolina
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Identity Card
Name: Marzolina
Product category: compact, white cheese with a pale yellow rind
Primary material: goat's milk
Area of production: Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise
How eaten: fresh or aged
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Be careful to avoid confusion, because the vast Italian family of cheeses includes another product with almost the same name, marzolino. But there is a substantial difference, beginning with the kind of milk that is used, which in the case of marzolina is goat's milk.
Marzolina is made in Central Italy, primarily in the regions of Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise, and the production period runs from March (hence its name) to May. Marzolina cheese is definitely a niche product that has managed to maintain its non-industrial character. It boasts a distinctive parallelepiped shape, due to the configuration of the mold into which the curds are placed for kneading.
It may be eaten fresh, as soon as the whey has been drained away, although this particular cheese is best once it has been pressed and aged. The aging process takes place on a wooden trellis-work surface for a period of two weeks. Next the marzolina is placed into glass demijohns, similar to wineskins and sealed, where it remains until the following year. This process produces a cheese with a fairly pronounced flavor that tends to be sharp.
For people who prefer a more mellow flavor and softer texture, there is another sort of traditional manufacturing process that involves putting the marzolina in glass jars and covering it with olive oil. The seasoned version of this cheese can also be used for grating, lending a distinctively strong, sharp flavor to any sort of pasta dish.
The marzolina preserved in oil, on the other hand, is perfect as an accompaniment to (or in) an important salad, which should always feature fresh leeks. People who enjoy having fun in the kitchen should try a cooked dish prepared with eggplant and marzolina. All you have to do is cut the eggplant into slices, sprinkle it with coarse salt and let it "sweat" out its excess water. Next you sauté the eggplant with a little oil and a little garlic and onion. Once this has been done you it into strips 8-10 mm wide. Add the eggplant, garlic and onion to little cubes of marzolina, dressing the mixture with extra-virgin olive oil, a little salt and lots of pepper.
In terms of wine, we would suggest a full-bodied red variety, something like a hearty Buttafuoco, Aglianico del Vulture or Barbera, best if cask-aged. A slice of crisp bread and your meal is ready.
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