Tag: Formaggio all’Argentiera

My relatives in Ragusa, Sicily, often visit their favourite massaro—a farmer who raises cows and makes cheese. They buy fresh farm produce: ricotta, provola, Ragusano, and caciocavallo.

Sicilians have a deep appreciation for locally made cheeses, and in Ragusa, unlike many other parts of Sicily, there are cows, rather than sheep.

Ricotta, in particular, is a staple in Sicilian kitchens, where it’s prized for its freshness and versatility. It’s eaten on its own or used in a wide range of savoury and sweet dishes.  However, ricotta made with sheep’s milk is particularly prized.

Zia Niluzza and the Massaro

My aunt, Zia Niluzza, lives in Ragusa and regularly has her ricotta, provola, and caciocavallo delivered by a local farmer. She also enjoys visiting him, especially when she has guests—or when I’m visiting from abroad.

For many years, cheese and ricotta were delivered by a man named Ciccio, who operated a small-scale dairy on his masseria just outside Marina di Ragusa. My aunt always referred to him as a massaro. He had only three cows. Those with more might be called a vaccaro (cowherd), but to be considered a casaro (professional cheesemaker), one would need to produce on a much larger scale.

Ciccio used to make Ragusano cheese, one of Sicily’s oldest and most distinctive cheeses. If you’ve watched Inspector Montalbano, you’ve likely seen the landscapes around Ragusa where this cheese is traditionally made. Ragusano is similar to provola in that it uses a pasta filata (stretched curd) technique, but it’s shaped in large rectangular blocks, weighs up to 16 kilograms, and is aged for months. It’s rubbed with oil and vinegar during aging, giving it its characteristic golden-yellow rind. The cheese has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which limits its name and method of production to this specific region.

Unfortunately, Ciccio stopped producing Ragusano when it received its PDO status. Upgrading his operation to meet PDO regulations was too costly.

My First Visit – 1977

I first visited Ciccio’s masseria in 1977.  I wanted to go and I was fascinated by my aunt’s description of the process.

We arrived unannounced and found the family in a two-room barn with packed earth floors and thick stone walls that naturally regulated temperature. It was dark and smoky inside. Ciccio had just made what would become Ragusano—at that point, still curds submerged in a tub of whey.

In another room, we saw pear-shaped provole, large yellow Ragusano cheeses resting on rafters, and pairs of caciocavallo hanging over wooden beams like saddlebags (“cacio a cavallo” literally means “cheese on horseback”).

Some cheeses were draining in reed baskets; others were maturing on racks. The smell was potent—smoke, sour milk, and the pungent vinegar and oil rubbed onto the Ragusano rind.

Ciccio’s teenage son was stirring a large cauldron over a wood fire to make ricotta from whey left over from caciocavallo. We watched in silence as the liquid separated into curds. His wife quietly brought us terracotta bowls with torn bread at the bottom. Each of us received a ladle of hot curds and whey – ricotta in its freshest form.

The scene felt ceremonial: the smoke like incense, the silence, the secret language (Sicilian rather than Italian was spoken almost throughout) the transformation of liquid into food, and the communal sharing. I made this comment aloud but it didn’t go over well. Most Sicilians, including my aunt are very religious.

This ricotta was made with cow’s milk.They were delighted to see me taste the hot ricotta for the first time. I hadn’t known that freshly made ricotta was such a treat—or that it was still produced in such humble, traditional ways.

We returned to Ragusa with Ragusano, fresh provola, ricotta salata (salted, dried ricotta), and fresh ricotta draining in a reed basket.

Cheese Quick Guide

So too, Sicilians are very fond of any locally made cheese, and in Ragusa there are a considerable number of cows (rather than sheep).

These photos displaying local cheeses were taken in Ragusa Ibla.

Formaggio all’Argentiera is also a favourite in my kitchen, especially as an antipasto. It is very easy to prepare, and I have never had complaints from guests.

Argento is the word for silver, and silversmiths could eat cheese cooked in this manner. Also, the method of cooking it is the same as the method that could be used to cook meat. The poor could not afford to eat meat (the silversmiths could), but the poor could cook cheese and give the impression of being well off (to any one who was walking past their house while they were cooking the cheese).

In Sicily it is made with provola cheeses (as mentioned above). I use slices of formaggio fresco and this too is common.

Ingredients (per slice of cheese):

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove (sliced)
• ½ tsp oregano
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• A pinch of sugar

Method:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cheese slices. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper.
3. Cook for about a minute on each side until golden.
4. Remove cheese from pan.
5. Add vinegar and sugar to the pan juices. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until slightly reduced.
6. Pour over cheese and serve.

Note: You can deglaze the pan with the cheese still in it if it hasn’t melted too much—melting points vary between cheeses.

INGREDIENTS