Description

Wallace Provola: a smaller southern pasta-filata pear, often smoked. Stretch like caciocavallo, hang, optional cold smoke. Advanced NEC make.

Recipe details

Style

Pasta filata

Country

Italy

PDO

No

Schema version

1.00

Type

Home recipe

Vegetarian

Yes

Created

2026-09-09

License

CC-BY-4.0

Author

CheeseXML 1.00 reference set

Units

US

Milk

Cow milk, Pasteurized, Not homogenized

Milk volume

2 gal

Expected yield

2 lb

Yield ratio

0.119826 ratio

Active time

180 min

Total time

8 h

Scale

For milk volume: 2 gal

Ingredients

• Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 2 gal

  Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk

• Thermophilic culture — 1 item

  Role: Culture · Kind: Culture

  Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.

• Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) — 0.5 tsp

  Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride · Optional: Yes

  Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.

• Liquid rennet — 0.5 tsp

  Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet

  Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.

• Non-iodized cheese salt — 2.25 lb (Details: Salt: Brining; Iodized: No)

  Role: Salt · Kind: Salt

Equipment

• Heavy-bottomed pot
• Dairy thermometer
• Curd knife
• Slotted ladle
• Colander
• Heat-proof gloves
• Brine container

Process

1. Heat the milk to 32 °C

   Heat · Milk preparation

   Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make.

   Temperature: 32 °C

2. Add culture

   Step code · Ripening

   Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature.

   Temperature: 32 °C · Time: 5 min · Addition: Amount: 1 item; Rest: 2 min

3. Add CaCl₂

   Step code · Calcium correction

   Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk.

   Temperature: 32 °C · Addition: Amount: 0.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup

4. Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier

   Step code · Coagulation

   Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier).

   Temperature: 32 °C · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 0.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup

5. Cut the curd

   Cut · Cutting

   Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size.

   Size: 25 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 25 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 25 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min

6. Heal the grain

   Step code · Healing

   Let the grains rest so the cuts seal.

   Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min

7. First stir

   Stir · Stirring

   Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat.

   Stir: Duration: 5 min

8. Cook to 42 °C

   Step code · Cooking

   Heat the grain at the published rate, stirring so it does not mat.

   Temperature: 42 °C · Ramp: From: 32 °C; To: 42 °C

9. Settle the grain

   Step code · Healing

   Stop stirring and let the grains sink before the whey draw.

   Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min

10. Draw whey and hoop

    Drain · Draining

    Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop.

    Stretching water: Temperature: 77 °C · Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min

11. Salt / brine

    Step code · Salting

    Salt the wheel as published — brine or dry salt.

    Brining: Saturated: Yes; Water: 1 gal; Salt: 2.25 lb; Calcium chloride: 1 tbsp; Acid: 1 tsp; Temperature: 12 °C; Duration: 2 h

12. Age

    Age · Aging

    Cold-smoke if you want Provola affumicata, then age a few weeks.

Aging

Duration: 30 d; Stage: Name: Hanging provola; Duration: 30 d; Temperature: 14 °C

Storage

Temperature: 8 °C; Shelf life: 60 d

Allergens

Allergen: Milk

Safety

Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.

Source

Title: Provola Cheese Making Recipe; Creator: Jim Wallace / New England Cheesemaking Supply; Year: 2023; URL: https://cheesemaking.com/products/provola-cheese-making-recipe