Dionisio iemma/ShutterstockA taste of Pecorino Crotonese and the products of the Marchesato
The city of Crotone, provincial capital, is famous for its typical gastronomy that embraces in a single proposal the products of the Silan mountains and those of the sea, along the beautiful Ionian coast of Calabria.
Among the starters, the king of the table is undoubtedly the famous PDO Pecorino Crotonese (sheep cheese), followed by the hillside excellences, PDO Oil Alto Crotonese and the fine PGI Val di Neto and Lipuda wines.
Let's set off for a tasty weekend to discover Pecorino Crotonese and other products of the Marchesato.
Pecorino cheese, oil and wine: welcome to Crotone
The PDO Pecorino Crotonese is a hard, semi-cooked cheese made exclusively from whole sheep's milk. The production and maturing area include several municipalities in province of Crotone.
The flocks graze in the green fields of the Sila National Park and among the suggestive Calanchi del Marchesato from September to June. The cheese is realized with the addition of goat rennet in pasta, it is then transferred into typical basket shapes and pressed manually. After salting, the forms are left to mature between 60 and 90 days in slightly ventilated rooms or sandstone caves. The Pecorino Crotonese is excellent to consume naturally or in combination with typical dishes, grated or melted.
Another excellence of these areas is the PDO Alto Crotonese Extra Virgin Olive Oil, realized from the variety of Carolea olives. Olives are harvested directly from the tree, either manually or mechanically, by December. They are then washed and crushed within two days of harvest. The PDO Alto Crotonese is distinguished by its color, ranging from pale yellow to light green, and its slightly fruity smell and flavor.
Finally, the fine Crotonese wines of the Marchesato: PGI Val di Neto and Lipuda.
Tastes and beauties of the Crotone Sila
The territory of Crotone province enjoys the beneficial effects of the Ionian Sea, which offers catch by day, and the freshness of the hills of the Marchesato and the Crotonese Sila, for a perfect balance of scents and flavors.
