Cheeses

Castel del Monte canestrato

Castel del Monte canestrato, the shepherds' cheese of the Gran Sasso

Raw milk from Sopravissana and Gentile di Puglia ewes, lamb rennet, curd pressed into baskets and wheels rubbed with olive oil as they age in cool cellars. It comes from the L'Aquila slopes of the Gran Sasso around Castel del Monte and Campo Imperatore, and holds Slow Food Presidium status as well as a place among Abruzzo's traditional products (PAT).

• The rind keeps the woven print of the baskets that gave the cheese its name
• Minimum ageing depends on size: two months for small wheels, fifteen for the big ones
• Young, it tastes of hay with a sweet finish; past a year it turns creamy and spicy, with hints of chestnut

How to enjoy it. Slice it or grate it, young or aged. For an Abruzzo-style tasting, set it out with the region's cured meats and cheeses, or with honeys from the L'Aquila Apennines.

Production areas

Abruzzo

Season

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