Region: Italy
Category: Antipasto, Meze, Tapas, and Hors d'Oeuvres
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy
Caciocavallo is a hard spun-curd cheese made from cow's milk. A spun-curd, or pasta filata, cheese, is so-called because the drained curd is soaked in hot whey and then in water and finally stretched, molded, and spun by the cheese maker.  (2)LO.jpg)
Among these string-like cheeses are mozzarella, provolone, and scamorze. Caciocavallo is hung in the form of two gourds tied together. The outside is a smooth pale yellow while the inside is nearly white. The cheese itself is very dense. Provolone is made in an identical way but contains more fat. Caciocavallo, of which there are many varieties, is mostly made in southern Italy and Sicily. It can be eaten plain (when younger) and grated (when older). Caciocavallo is almost exclusively found in Italian markets (I've never seen it sold in supermarkets). Imported provolone is an excellent substitute. This recipe is ridiculously simple to make in comparison to how heavenly it tastes. I find fried cheese so satisfying as a snack or light meal.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound caciocavallo cheese, cut in four equal slices
4 small ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Dried oregano to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a small cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat, then add the slices of cheese, tomatoes, a sprinkling of oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then scrape onto a plate and serve.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 12/11/2006
