The technique to ripe cheese into pits has unknown origins. However, this peculiar cheese is mentioned in two inventories of 1497 and 1498 from which it emerges that the cheese did not belong to the pit owner, thus proving the usage to rent the ripening pits. These same pits were used to ensile wheat to protect it against soldiers' robberies. Traditionally, cheese wheels were pitted late in August and September and pits were re-opened on the 25th November, St. Catherine's Day.
Pitting cheese during the autumn had two founded reasons. On one hand, the period of maximum milk production was (and still is, though to a lower extent) the spring-summer time due to a richer pasture and the need to turn milk into cheese and stock it for less productive months. On the other hand, one had cheese available also in winter, and as fresh and tasty as in summer.
The cheese appears strongly deformed with respect to its initial cylindrical shape due to the anaerobic fermentation process which makes its soften and, consequently, deform. Such deformation also depends on the fact that cheese wheels are pitted one onto the other. Even the cheese rind and texture are not distinguishable, both appearing compact and crumbly. The colour varies from white to straw; the initial mild and almost sweet taste gets increasingly spicy with a bitter after-taste. It has a special perfume recalling underwood humus.
The cheese going to be pitted is made of full-cream ewe's milk or added with full-cream coagulated cow's milk (max. 50%) - whether pasteurised or not. Its weight normally ranges from minimum 600g to maximum 1,800g. Before being pitted, cheese is allowed to mature for at least 30 days. The pitting period lasts 80 to 100 days. Some days after the pit closing (pits must be filled completely), oxygen disappears. This starts the process of anaerobic fermentation and the degradation of the lipid fraction with consequent formation of fatty short-chain acids and fermentation of the lactose, another essential element of the unique organoleptic characteristics of the "fossa" cheese.
Recommended for any diet and age, this cheese is featured by a protein content of 35-40% and a balanced content of fatty matters and mineral salts. It is easily digestible since fermentation turns part of both protein and lipid fractions (fatty substance) into easily assimilable elements. It also contains high concentrations of live milk enzymes.
It is used either as basic ingredient of typical Romagnese pasta dishes (cappelletti, passatelli, etc.) or, grated, as seasoning for first and second courses. It can also be tasted alone or with honey, fruit jams, balsamic vinegar, etc.
To be served with: red vintage wines, raisin wines and Marsala.
