Brocciu is a

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

n cheese produced from a combination of milk and whey, giving it some of the characteristics of

whey cheese Whey cheese is a dairy product made of whey, the by-product of cheesemaking. After the production of most cheeses, about 50% of milk solids remain in the whey, including most of the lactose and lactalbumin. The production of whey cheese allows ch ...

. It is produced from

ewe's milk Sheep's milk (or ewes' milk) is the milk of domestic sheep. It is commonly used to make cultured dairy products such as cheese. Some of the most popular sheep cheeses include feta (Greece), ricotta (Italy), and Roquefort (France). Sheep breeds S ...

. It is notable as a substitute for

lactose Lactose is a disaccharide sugar synthesized by galactose and glucose subunits and has the molecular formula C12H22O11. Lactose makes up around 2–8% of milk (by mass). The name comes from ' (gen. '), the Latin word for milk, plus the suffix '' - ...

-rich Italian Ricotta, as brocciu contains less lactose. Produced on the island of

, brocciu is considered the island's most representative food. Like ricotta, it is a young white cheese and is paired frequently with Corsican white wines. It has been described as "the most famous cheese" in Corsica. The word brocciu is related to the French word '' brousse'' and means fresh cheese made with goat or ewe's milk. Brocciu is made from whey and milk. First, the whey is heated to a low temperature of just a few degrees below and then ewe's milk is added and further heated to just a bit below . After heating, the cheese is drained in rush baskets. The cheese is ready for consumption immediately, although it may be ripened for a few weeks ( co, brocciu passu or ''brocciu vechju''); the ideal affinage time for brocciu is 48 hours to one month. In

Corsican cuisine The cuisine of Corsica is the traditional cuisine of the island of Corsica. It is mainly based on the products of the island, and due to historical and geographical reasons, has much in common with Italian cuisine, and marginally with those o ...

, it is used in the preparation of innumerable dishes, from first courses to desserts.

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References

* {{French cheeses Whey cheeses Sheep's-milk cheeses French cheeses Corsican cuisine French products with protected designation of origin Cheeses with designation of origin protected in the European Union

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