Learn which cheese is ideal for each preparation

When heated, each cheese behaves differently. In some cases, excessive heat can ruin the product. In others, it is precisely the cooking that will bring even more flavor and texture to the dish – the mozzarella string that stretches when you cut the pizza, the crunchy crust that the Parmesan makes on the potato gratin or the creamy warmth of a fondue are three examples. of preparations in which the heat makes all the difference.

As a matter of fact, many cheeses will provide a satisfying experience both hot and cold. But, to know which types are worth being subjected to fire, you need to understand a little about the cheese production process.

Turning milk into cheese starts with curdling and acidifying the dough. In this first stage, the more acidic the curd becomes, the more malleable the dough will be, which makes it possible to stretch it to produce filada cheeses, such as mozzarella and caccio cava. “In the fermentation process to make filada cheeses, the lactic acid removes the calcium from the dough and makes it elastic. Any dough with a pH close to 5 will melt and stretch. A pH close to 6 will not have the same elasticity, but it will still melt. The more basic, that is, with a higher pH, the less elastic the dough will be”, explains Márcia Rapacci, Professor of Gastronomy at PUCPR.

Because of this malleable structure, it is possible to bend and roll a slice of mozzarella without it breaking. It’s also what forms those threads that take a while to break when you cut a grilled cheese in half. “Semi-hard cheeses that have an average calcium content and average moisture behave well when heated and yield those beautiful pictures of burnt crusts and threads that stretch to infinity, such as emmental, gruyère and gouda”, quotes Flavia Rogoski, cheesemaker and owner of the Bon Vivant cheese shop.

The rind to which Flavia refers is the result of gratination, which is possible with cheeses that have residual lactose, that is, a short maturation time. Here, it doesn’t matter if the cheese has too much or too little calcium. The golden hues on the surface of the cheese are caused by the Maillard Reaction, a process in which heat above 65°C causes sugars and amino acids to form unstable molecules and develop new aromas and flavors. “Cheese that have matured for one or two years have already developed more complex flavors and aromas due to the activity of the bacteria that consumed the lactose and also have less moisture. Gratin parmesan or other matured cheese would be to lose these volatile compounds, which formed over months, and be left with just a crunchy crust, because there is no reducing sugar left in the dough”, warns Márcia, who recommends always serving long-aged cheeses in natura, on a cold cuts board.

season and melt

Not all parmesan, however, will be microbatch
or long maturing. The more commercial ones can, yes, be used in sauces and gratins to add a ripening flavor and texture, respectively. As it is a cheese with a hard crust and a high calcium content, high temperatures and a fat base are needed for it to melt and become creamy. Or even grated over hot food.

“Cheese with little moisture, like pecorino and grana padano, need a lot of heat to melt. We use them to ‘season’ and add a layer of flavor to the preparation, not to add texture”, exemplifies Flavia. Pecorino is the traditional ingredient in carbonara, finely grated to be incorporated into the egg yolks. Parmesan, on the other hand, is usually the choice to be grated over pasta with more fluid sauces, and is used in the preparation of creamy sauces to lend its flavor.

That’s what chefs Felipe Machoski and Vitor Verona do, both at the head of the kitchens at the Miuq restaurants, specializing in milk and dairy products, and the Officina Restô Bar. Parmesan flavors the fonduta that accompanies the waffle with roast beef and the mushroom caramelle, a cream-based sauce. “Cream is important as it has more fat than cheese, which helps with consistency and homogeneity of the sauce when emulsified”, explain the cooks.

Béchamel, a sauce made with milk and thickened with roux (a thickener made with wheat and butter), is a basic alternative to cheese sauces instead of cream. Cheeses with a more pungent flavor, such as roquefort and gorgonzola, can be dissolved at the end of the white sauce and served with meat and pasta. “Gruyère, emmental and parmesan are also options to spice up the béchamel”, teaches Márcia. The classic fondue, prepared with Swiss cheeses and thickened with cornstarch and wine, is another example of a creamy sauce with processed cheese, but without the addition of milk or cream.

Another creation by the chefs at Miuq and Officina is a reinterpretation of the four cheese pizza, made without dough, and using different cheeses to compose the final result. “In this recipe, each of the cheeses has a function”, explains Felipe. The cheese crust has mozzarella, horse caccio, parmesan and the very Brazilian catupiry. “Mozzarella cheese and horse caccio bring toffee. Parmesan comes in to make a crispy crust and intensify the flavor as it is a mature cheese. And catupiry gives creaminess ”, he describes.

What is the ideal cheese for…

temper

• Hard, long-aged cheeses such as parmesan, grana padano and pecorino are best used by grating them over hot food or to flavor cream-based or béchamel sauces.

Gratin and stretch

• Semi-soft cheeses, such as emmental, gruyère, gouda, raclette, provolone, mozzarella, will melt without liquefying and will create a golden crust, the result of the Maillard reaction.

• Hard pasta, such as parmesan, do not suffer the Maillard reaction because they do not contain lactose. The result will be dehydration.
• cheese, getting crispy.

To merge

• Cheeses with a pronounced flavor, such as gorgonzola, manchego, pecorino and parmesan, add flavor to creamy sauces based on milk or cream. Taleggio, reblochon, brie and camembert add a little less flavor but melt more quickly into sauce or cream because of their high moisture content.

Just warm up, no melt

• Chefs do not recommend melting white mold cheeses, such as brie and camembert, or soft cheeses with a flowery rind, as their characteristics are also in the texture and flavor of the rind, which contrasts with the crumb. They indicate just a slight heating to make them easier to flatten and serve with toast, fruit and other side dishes.

to eat fresh

• Unripened cheeses that have a lot of mass in the water – quark, fresh minas, burrata, whey mozzarella, cottage and boursin – should be eaten fresh, as the heat can dry them out and make them “meaty” or melt them to the point of losing their characteristic texture.

recipes with cheese

Suggestion:

Serve with pasta. Try flavoring the sauce with truffles or herbs.