 What
does it look like?
The most important feature of the product
is the irregularity of its shape. Its colour varies
from pale yellow to light brown and the cheese is
clear and soft. The texture is crumbly and the taste
is sweet, sometimes somewhat piquant.
Why is this cheese so interesting?
'Fossa' (meaning underground pit) cheese owes its
characteristics to the three months it spends maturing
underground. It owes its distinct taste to the vacuum
environment which is created in the sealed pit.
Inside the temperature remains constant at between
17 and 20°c throughout the entire three months
of maturing, whilst the humidity reaches 100%.
In the summer the pits are prepared in a tradional
way, using natural materials: first they are cleaned
and dried out with a fire of straw and dry twigs.
Then the walls are covered with a structure made
of wood and canes lined with straw. The cheese,
a mixed cheese, made up of cow's and sheep's milk,
is then put in the so-called 'fosse' to mature for
a period of around three months. Once filled, the
pits are closed with panels and plaster, and await
the re-opening in November, when the cheese has
finally matured. At this stage visitors may come
and see the pits as they are gradually emptied.
Anyone who visits will be amazed at the amber colour
of the sandstone, the intense odour of tartufo as
well as the absence of humidity. The tradition of
pitting the cheese was resumed 15 years ago.
Where exactly are these pits?
The tufa pits in which the cheese is conserved are
few and well preserved and almost as precious as
gold mines. They are found sparsely in the Talamello
and Sant'Agata Feltria territories, two villages
in the hinterland of Pesaro, bordering Romagna.
The origins come from the legend
According to the legend, in the 15th century, in
order to defend themselves from plunderers, farmers
hid their provisions in the tufo pits. In November,
once the raids had finished, they unearthed their
supplies and discovered that the cheese had changed.
Fossa cheese in Italian cookery
Being a cheese that provokes indulgence and reflection,
fossa cheese should be savoured a bit at a time,
chewing slowly.
Its main use is relatively simple; grated and tossed
in the pan with pasta and gnocchi. Another way to
eat it is together with fig jam or honey, which
dampen the strength without spoiling the aroma.
It is best accompanied by a sweet wine - Passito
(for example Marsala) or Vin Santo, or alternatively,
a good aged red wine.
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