Dop Caciocavallo Silano is the product that consumers most associate with typical Lucanian production, as shown by a recent survey.
Even if the production area includes other regions of southern Italy
(Calabria, Campania, Molise and Puglia), Dop Caciocavallo is in fact a part of the Basilicata cheese basket.
It should be considered as one of the most important cheeses in the Italian
range.
Caciocavallo Silano is mostly sold at large-scale retail traders (80% of the total); retail sales cover only 17% while the dairies sell 3% directly.
In Basilicata production extends to a large number of municipalities in the
two provinces.
The most important dairies are located in Potenza, Picerno, Filiano, Marsico Nuovo and Viggiano.
Caciocavallo Silano is a semi-hard, stringy cheese made purely from full cream cow’s milk.
Seasoning takes at least 30 days but may be longer.
The taste is aromatic, delicate and sweet when the cheese is fresh but becomes increasingly spicy as it matures over longer periods.
Fresh Caciocavallo can be used in many ways but when it is more mature, Caciocavallo Silano deserves to be accompanied by a full-bodied red wine like Aglianico del Vulture or even a passito.
It goes extremely well with the various types of Lucanian honey