Nebrodi Provola
It is a traditional Sicilian cheese prepared by the cheese-makers of Nebrodi Mountains according to traditional methods handed down from father to son. It is usually produced in small rounds (from 1 to 1.5 kilos), although some producers choose to make bigger rounds, more suitable for a longer maturation process. It is egg-shaped, with the classical small head of caciocavalli (used to tie the rounds and hang them up).
It is prepared with cow's milk coagulated with lamb or kid rennet and pulling the curd by pouring hot water on it. Before pulling, the texture is worked by hand for a long time, similarly to bread dough kneading: thanks to this processing, cheese tends to flake in the mouth. The rounds have a smooth and glossy rind and an amber-straw yellow color. The taste goes from sweet to rather spicy as maturation continues. It is a fine table cheese, but it is also used as an ingredient in some local dishes. Sometimes, artistic cheese rounds are produced: they are called "caci figurati", and are both good to eat and beautiful to see.
