Squacquerone Cheese. Wilo-Ma / wikimedia / 2018 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Squacquerone is an Italian fresh cream cheese with a tangy taste.
It is very white, soft, fluffy and spreadable. There is no rind.
It is very perishable; it has a shelf life of only 4 to 5 days refrigerated.
Squacquerone cheese is popular particularly in Emilia Romagna and the Marche areas of Italy.
A PDO version, Squacquerone di Romagna, can be made only in Romagna and in part of the province of Bologna.
Website: https://www.squacqueronediromagna.it/
Production
Squacquerone is made year round from whole pasteurized cow milk.
The milk is heated to 37 – 38 C (98 to 100 F) to pasteurize it, then cooled down a bit. Starter culture is added. The milk is let rest, then has rennet added to it. The milk is then let stand to curdle for 20 to 25 minutes. The curd along with the whey are poured into moulds to drain, and let stand at 20 to 30 C (68 to 86 F) for 12 hours. The moulds are turned several times during this.
The cheeses are then submerged in brine for 2 hours.
Each cheese will weigh between 1 and 3 kg (2 ¼ and 6 ½ pounds). It is made and sold in various shapes: cylinders, low flat circles, or tubs. The cheese not sold in tubs is sold wrapped in parchment paper.
Cooking Tips
Squacquerone cheese melts easily and is good as a filling for pasta, breads, and desserts.
Substitutes
Mix 175 g (6 oz.) of cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche, 2 tablespoons of buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of yoghurt and juice from 1 lemon. Mix, let stand in fridge for 1 to 3 days; use up within 6 days after that.
Nutrition
The fat content of Squacquerone cheese ranges from 46 to 55%.
Storage Hints
Squacquerone cheese should be refrigerated and used up within 3 to 5 days.
History Notes
One of the earliest written mentions of Squacquerone cheese occurred in February 1800. A Cardinal Bellisomi was in Venice at the time, and wrote asking for some to be brought there for him.
Language Notes
The name comes from “squagliare”, meaning “to melt”. It is called “Squaquarò” by the locals.