BBQ and summer hits: cheese on the grill and "cacio mercato"!

Cheeses on the barbecue? Sure! It's a great solution even in the summer to rekindle the desire to cook outdoors with delicious and succulent unusual dishes. Enchanted by summer cheese, let’s drop an “l” and play at being the agents of the grill! So let's make some good "Cacio d’estate" and try to convince the fans of good food about the value of their dairy superstars.

There’s a cheese that is specifically designed to be eaten only after being heated on a grill. It’s Raclette, or variations with cheeses from the Swiss Canton of Vaud, like Gruyere. In Italy, the barbecue technique brings together the most typical cheeses from the southern tradition. But we will see that it is also possible to perform innovative grilling with unsuspected noble alpine cheeses.

THE RULES TO FOLLOW FOR GRILLING CHEESE

First of all, there are rules to follow in order not to risk melting the cheeses and being left with just a terrible smell of burnt milk and rennet. Never bring the plates and grills to their maximum temperature. In fact, always keep them a bit higher than the coals. Maybe use them for the cheeses only at the end of a meat or fish barbecue.

It would be better if the cheese you use is medium-aged. If it’s too young, there’s a risk it will melt or leak water, especially the very fresh ones. Grating cheese becomes very elastic and tends to polymerize the casein, turning the pieces into real chewing gum!

In the northern Italian tradition, especially in Veneto, it’s popular to grill the rinds of Grana Padano DOP or Parmigiano Reggiano DOP. But they should be left for just a very short time. Just enough to see a slight dark line forming near the contact with the grill.

Another thing: there's no need to marinate cheese. In fact, avoid it! The result is contrary to what one might think. It hardens and becomes too elastic. It loses its edibility.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CHEESES FOR GRILLING?

So what are the best cheeses for a quality grilling experience? Let's start with Scamorza or Caciocavallo. In both cases, they are cheeses made from curdled milk with the pulling method used for mozzarella. You should cut thick slices and then place them on a hot but not scorching grill. Let them brown for a short time. Ensure that the line of the grill iron is completed and then turn them well, doing the same on the other side.

Don't do this with overly aged Caciocavallo Podolico, as you would lose the pasta's meltability. Very interesting are goat cheeses like the small semi-aged tomes. You can also wrap them in slices of pancetta or shoulder meat. Even better with aged guanciale. Other great options include Bitto DOP , but again just for a few seconds, without hardening it too much. All raw milk cheeses are excellent. Creamy ones do not work well, nor do blue cheeses that enhance their bitter flavor. I highly recommend semi-aged pecorino from Pienza, or Asiago DOP Mezzano, or Monte Veronese DOP Mezzano.

Another typical cheese is tomino and all those cheeses that have the same composition or method of processing. If you want, you can also wrap the tomino in slices of sweet pancetta. Some types of cheeses can also be enhanced with fresh oregano or rosemary leaves.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with this new version of “Cacio d’Estate.” And it can all be achieved with affordable investments: all that is required is passion, patience, and taste!

Bernardo Pasquali