Brocciu is a
Corsican cheese produced from a combination of milk and
whey
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of har ...
,
giving it some of the characteristics of
whey cheese. It is produced from
ewe's milk.
It is notable as a substitute for
lactose-rich Italian
Ricotta
Ricotta ( in Italian) is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after th ...
, as brocciu contains less lactose.
Produced on the island of
Corsica, brocciu is considered the island's most representative food. Like ricotta, it is a young white cheese and is paired frequently with Corsican white
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
s. It has been described as "the most famous cheese" in Corsica.
The word brocciu is related to the French word ''
brousse'' and means fresh cheese made with goat or ewe's milk.
Brocciu is made from
whey
Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of har ...
and milk. First, the whey is heated to a low temperature of just a few degrees below and then ewe's milk is added and further heated to just a bit below . After heating, the cheese is drained in rush baskets.
The cheese is ready for consumption immediately, although it may be
ripened for a few weeks ( co, brocciu passu or ''brocciu vechju''); the ideal affinage time for brocciu is 48 hours to one month.
In
Corsican cuisine
The cuisine of Corsica is the traditional cuisine of the island of Corsica. It is mainly based on the products of the island, and due to historical and geographical reasons, has much in common with Italian cuisine, and marginally with those ...
, it is used in the preparation of innumerable dishes, from first courses to desserts.
See also
*
List of cheeses
This is a list of cheeses by place of origin. Cheese is a milk-based food that is produced in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms. Hundreds of types of cheese from various countries are produced. Their styles, textures and flavors dep ...
Notes
References
*
{{French cheeses
Whey cheeses
Sheep's-milk cheeses
French cheeses
Corsican cuisine
French products with protected designation of origin
Cheeses with designation of origin protected in the European Union