Motta is a dairy preparation of the Sesia Valley, and its production is now strongly declining. Produced with whole cow's milk and acid, the cheese is chalky, hard and crumbly. It is roundish in shape (diametre 7-8 cm), and irregular since it is hand-processed. "Motta" means little ball as evidenced in its shape, and size, and weighs about half a kilo. This cheese body is aromatised and speckled with fennel and cumino seeds. There is no crust but at times presents a rare white bloom on the surface. The taste is salty and characterised by spicy notes. It smells of milk.
Production Area
The small round ball cheese is produced all over the towns of the Sesia Valley in the Province of Vercelli. It is produced throughout the year; the most characteristic products, however, are those produced from the pastures during summer.
How it is made
This cheese is the result of a natural lactic fermentation, produced to make use of a part of the milk that acidified in the lower mountain farms. The milk was left to coagulate, and then the curd was separated from the whey and made to drain in cheese cloths, after which, in a wooden tub, salt and black pepper grains and various types of aromatic seeds were added, and at times, to increase the consistency of the cheese, a bit of wine was also added.
Motte cheese was prepared manually and left to ripen on wooden shelves for one or two weeks. Today instead, this processing is done by purposely letting the milk acidify for 12-18 hours in summer and 24-36 hours in winter.
History
In the culinary tradition we find Motta cheese as an enhancement for the very modest local cuisine.
Interesting features
Motta is salty and spicy, making the polenta even more delicious.
