Sicilian Primo Sale Cheese with Chilli

Primo Sale is a fresh cheese, typical of the Sicily region, with very ancient origins. Called ” Primusali ” by the Sicilians, we have news of its production since the sixth century BC. This type of cheese is particularly appreciated because it is produced with raw milk from the “Valle del Belice” breed of sheep, a very valuable breed among those that can produce milk. It can also be produced with goat’s milk, cow’s milk or with a mixture of cow’s and sheep’s milk, depending on the tradition of the area, to which small quantities of rennet are added. The cheese has a very thin crust, white or straw yellow in color and on which it is possible to glimpse the texture of the basket where the cheese was placed to mature after the curd. These typical Sicilian baskets are called “ fascedde”, because they are made with intertwined reed branches, which then give the cheese its typical striped decoration that characterizes it. The paste is instead milky white, compact and rather soft; its consistency is very different from classic pecorino, in fact it melts in the mouth as if it were a cross between ricotta and cheese. Primo Sale is a very versatile cheese in the kitchen as far as pairings are concerned: it can be enjoyed plain, flavoured with a drizzle of oil and pepper, if not already seasoned inside with the same, or it can be paired with honey and fresh fruit and eaten at the end of a meal to erase previous flavours and refresh the palate.