Champion of cheeses

BY GRAHAM HAWKES

Once again one of our local cheese producers Blue River has taken out a major award for its Curio Bay Pecorino.

To add to the celebration, this is the second consecutive year Blue River has received the award – Champion Sheep's Cheese – which shows the company is producing consistently great quality cheese.

So what is "Pecorino cheese"?

I looked up my cook's dictionary and it tells me: pecorino (Italian) generic name for all sheep's milk cheese made in Italy. Derived from pecora, the word for sheep.

The best-known and oldest is Pecorino Romano which was first made near Rome. Other versions are Pecorino Tuscano made in Tuscany and Pecorino Sardo from Sardinia. They generally have a strong flavour and when mature are used as grating cheese like parmesan.

Pecorino is a member of the family of hard cheese made from ewe's milk. It is of Italian origin and is made mainly in the Umbrian and Tuscany areas.

While it is more commonly used for cooking it is also served at the end of a meal usually with fresh figs alongside.Pecorino is often partnered with pears and walnuts in dishes.

As it matures the rind of the pecorino wheel will darken and the cheese will become harder.

To qualify as a hard cheese the moisture content must be less than 40 per cent. Cheeses with a higher percentage of moisture are regarded as soft cheeses. Pecorino is one of the harder cheeses available out of Italy.

In Italy it is not uncommon to find peppercorns, red chili flakes, tiny pieces of black or white truffle or even walnuts in your pecorino.

Blue River also picked up several other awards at the National Cheese Competitions including a gold medal for their Tussock Creek Feta, a silver medal for their Monowai Halloumi, a silver medal for their Vintage Feta and a bronze medal for their Organic Cows Milk Feta.

While the tradition of sheep milking goes back centuries and has strong roots around the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries it is a relatively new operation here in the south and while it may be new to this part of the world Blue River is clearly a leader in its field.

This week let's look at a delicious tarte Tatan using tomatoes, local of course, which are just fabulous in flavour at the minute along with some fresh marjoram and some local Blue River pecorino cheese.

Generally, a tarte Tatan is a sweet dish originally created by the famous Tatan sisters in their hotel in Lomotte-beuvron, south of the River Loire and will be best described as a caramalised upside down apple tart. It is a lovely concept and works equally as well with a savoury dish.

RECIPE: PECORINO, TOMATO, MARJORAM TARTE TATAN

Ingredients for the pastry

• 100g flour
• 75g wholemeal flour
• 75g butter cut into cubes
• 1 free range egg
• A little cold water
• Good pinch salt

 

Method: In a reasonably good sized bowl mix the flours and salt.

Add the butter cubes, rub through your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Alternatively, pulse the butter and flours in your kitchen whiz.

Break the egg and whisk with a few drops of water. Add to the flour mixture and mix until it forms a ball in your hand. You may need to add a little more flour or a little more moisture depending on the size of your egg.

Roll out the pastry on a floured board to meet the measurement of your flan dish. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

 

Ingredients for the filling

• 100g sliced Blue River pecorino cheese
• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 10 vine ripened local tomatoes (5 skinned and deseeded and sliced, 5 simply sliced)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped marjoram
• 25g melted butter
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan and add the onions and garlic and saute without colouring until the onion is transparent.

Add the five skinned and deseeded and sliced tomatoes and stir. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt and add the chopped marjoram.

Continue to cook until the tomatoes have wilted. Turn the pan off and allow to cool a little.

To put your tarte tatan together for baking: Melt the 25g butter.

Line the inside of your flan dish with baking paper and brush liberally with the melted butter.

Sprinkle the sliced pecorino cheese on to the buttered paper then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top.

Add the cooked onion, garlic and tomato then top with the pastry.

Place in a preheated oven at 190degC and bake until the pastry is cooked and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before inverting your cooked tarte tatan on to a hot plate ready for serving.

Remove the flan dish and it is ready to serve.

Serve at warm or room temperature alongside a fresh green salad.

Bon appetit!

- © Fairfax NZ News