category: food/groceries: milk and dairy products: cheese

Provolone, Provola, Provole, Pancette, Topolino, Pancettoni, Salami, Giganti, Mandarini, Meloni, Ragusani

Provolone or Provola is an South Italian cheese that reminds of Caciocavallo in its consistency. It is a hard cheese of the pasta filata cheese type. It is sold in several shapes and sizes and each shape has its own name. Pancette is a cylindrical variety - Giganti, Pancettoni and Topolino are smaller varieties - Mandarini, Meloni and Provole are ball-shaped - Ragusani is formed like a cube. Provolone is mostly round, oval or pear shaped and has a string or knob for hanging. A thin, smooth, yellow wax covers its surface. The firm and slightly elastic interior is white to light yellow and has very few curd holes.

Provolone is available in two varieties that differ in taste. A mild tipo dolce that is a calf rennet cheese and a sharp tipo piccante for which goat's rennet is used. Provolone ripens in 2 to 6 months and has a fat content of 45 percent fat in dry matter.