🧀 Ragusano
Also known as: Ragusano PDO, Ragusano DOP
Ragusano is a Sicilian PDO cheese from whole raw cow's milk, a 12-16 kg block with a square section, made in the provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa.
Ragusano is a Sicilian cheese made from whole raw cow's milk in the provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa. The name is protected in the EU as a PDO, registered in 1996 (eAmbrosia PDO-IT-1505).
According to the specification, the cows' feed consists mainly of wild plants and herbs of the Ibleo plateau, which may also be made into hay. Rearing, milking, cheesemaking and maturation all take place in the defined area. The specification describes production in the fodder season, November to May, with artisanal cheesemaking using a wooden vat, a tin-lined copper cauldron and wooden moulds. Cheese made only from the milk of Modicana cows may be labelled Ragusano da vacca modicana.
The cheese is a parallelepiped with a square section and rounded corners, with light marks left by the ropes used to hang it during ripening. The sides of the section measure 15-18 cm, the length 43-53 cm and the weight 12-16 kg. The rind is smooth, thin and compact, golden or straw yellow, turning towards brown after long ripening, at most 4 mm thick, and may be coated with olive oil. The paste is compact, white to straw yellow, with occasional holes and possible splitting after long ripening. Table cheese tastes sweet and delicate; long-aged cheese for grating is sharp and very tasty. Fat in dry matter is at least 40 % (38 % for cheese ripened over six months); moisture is at most 42 %.
Ragusano or caciocavallo? Shoppers often meet both words, but the protected name in the EU register is Ragusano, with its own specification: whole raw cow's milk, a square-section block and a minimum of three months of ripening. It is not a round wheel, and it is not a generic name for any stretched-curd cheese. Compared with Parmesan-type hard cheeses, it is a cheese for the table when young and for grating when aged long, and its rind may be coated with olive oil. The cows graze mainly wild plants and herbs of the Ibleo plateau.
Look for the name “Ragusano” with the EU PDO symbol (protected designation of origin). At the end of the minimum ripening the main face is branded with the PDO marking and the producer's EC number. The cheese may be sold whole, in portions or grated; portions or grated cheese without the branded rind must be packed in the defined area. Expect a block with a square section, a golden or straw-yellow rind and rope marks. Find it at a delicatessen or a supermarket cheese counter.
The cheese ripens for a minimum of three months from moulding, in ventilated premises at 14-16 °C. At the end of the minimum ripening period it is branded on its main face with the PDO marking and the producer's EC number. It may be sold whole, in portions or grated; portions or grated cheese without the branded rind must be packed in the defined area.
Facts
| Raw material | Whole raw cow's milk 3 |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa, Sicily 3 |
| Duration | Ripened at least three months from moulding 3 |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 1996, PDO-IT-1505 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Ragusano → kind of → 🏷️ Protected cheese names → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk
- Part of
- 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇮🇹 Italian cheeses
Frequently asked questions
What is Ragusano cheese?
A Sicilian PDO cheese made from whole raw cow's milk in the provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa, sold as a 12-16 kg block.
Which name counts on the pack: caciocavallo or the PDO name?
Searches often pair the two words. The name protected in the EU is Ragusano (PDO since 1996), so check for that name and the PDO marking branded on the rind.
Is it true that this cheese is a round wheel like most Italian cheeses?
No. It is a block with a square section of 15-18 cm per side and rounded corners, 43-53 cm long, with light rope marks from hanging during ripening.
What does “da vacca modicana” on a label mean?
The name that may be used only when the cheese is made from the milk of Modicana cows alone.
Why does a young one taste different from an aged one?
Table cheese tastes sweet and delicate; cheese aged long enough for grating is sharp and very tasty.
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ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.