TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Corsican Soft Cheese Types
Brocciu is a cheese that can be fresh or matured, made on Corsica island from goat's or sheep's milk and whey. It can act as a lactose-free replacement for the Italian Ricotta cheese. It has a smooth, creamy and crumbly texture and its fat percentage is in the ranks of 40-50 %.
If eaten young and fresh, it is best to strain it through a cheesecloth or a sieve to remove the excess liquid from. When it is sold as matured cheese, it matures from a few weeks to a month. It has a sweet, milky taste and is best used in making omelettes, baked good such as pastries, or used in making soups.
Niolo is a French cheese that originates from Casamaccioli, Corsica. It is made from raw sheep’s milk and has a soft and creamy texture. The washed rind has a strong aroma, while the flavors on the inside can be best described as nutty.
After ripening for three months, it develops a strong aroma on its natural rind, which is white or grey in appearance. It was first produced in the 1950s by the Santini brothers. Pair it with a glass of white wine.
Casgiu paisanu is a traditional cheese produced in Corsica. This farmhouse cheese is made from raw sheep’s milk, and it’s left to age for a month before consumption. Underneath its thin, sticky, washed rind, the texture is creamy, smooth, and soft.
The aromas are very intense and pungent, while the flavors are strong and slightly salty. It’s recommended to leave this small cylindrical cheese at room temperature for an hour before indulging in it. Pair it with a glass of Trappist beer and serve it with fresh bread.
Pair with
Bastelicacciu Rafini is a traditional cheese that’s produced in Sari-d’Orcino, Corsica. The cheese is made from raw sheep’s milk and it’s usually left to age for at least 2 months before consumption. Underneath its bloomy rind, the texture is soft, dense, supple, and slightly runny.
The aromas are reminiscent of milk and hay, while the flavors are creamy, fresh, and milky. As the cheese ages, the flavors become even more pronounced. Bastelicacciu Rafini is made by a man called Cédric Rafini, hence the name of the cheese.
Altanu fumé is a traditional cheese produced in the department of Haute-Corse by the Alta Cima dairy. The cheese is made from pasteurized sheep’s milk. This farmhouse cheese is smoked and it’s left to age in baskets. The texture is soft, dense, and supple underneath its bloomy rind, with occasional eyes.
The aroma is smokey, while the flavors are delicate and milky. The cheese should slightly melt on the palate when consumed. There’s also an unsmoked version of the cheese.
Rustinu is a French cheese hailing from the eponymous historical region. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk and it's usually left to age for 3 months before consumption. Underneath its natural rind that's regularly turned and brushed, the texture is soft and firm.
The aromas are fresh and the flavor is sweet and mild. This cheese was introduced by famous French cheesemaker Joseph Guidicelli.
Calenzana or Calinzanincu is a French cheese originating from Corsica. It's produced in Calenzana and Balagna. The cheese is made from raw sheep's or goat's milk. The rind is washed, and underneath it the texture is soft and creamy.
The aromas are rich, and the flavors are strong. This cheese is usually left to age for at least 3 months before consumption.
Filetta is a French cheese hailing from Isolaccio near Bastia. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk, but there's also a goat's milk version, made from January until July. Underneath its fern-adorned washed rind, the texture is supple, dense, and smooth.
The cheese is left to age from 4 to 6 weeks. The aromas are earthy and herbal and the flavors are mild, mushroomy, and herbaceous, with a slight hint of the fern sprig. It's recommended to serve Filetta with fresh bread, honey, and fig jam. Pair it with a glass of Muscat du Cap Corse or Patrimonio.
Venaco is a French cheese originating from Corsica. It's named after the original place of production, a town in the center of the island, but it's no longer produced there. The cheese is made from raw sheep's milk and it usually ages for 3 to 4 months.
Underneath its thin and sticky washed rind, there is a dense, soft, and sticky texture of the body. The flavors are rich, full-bodied, and very spicy. It's recommended to use Venaco as a spread on homemade bread, with garlic, olive oil, or herbs. Pair it with bold red wines such as Gigondas.
Pair with
Fium'Orbu is a French cheese that's named after a river that runs through a little-known part of Corse, the island of its origin. The cheese is made from ewe's milk and ages from 8 to 12 weeks. The washed rind is sticky, with meaty aromas.
The texture is tender, buttery, and soft, while the flavors are complex and herbaceous, resulting from the ewe's grazing on fragrant herbs. On Corsica, the locals eat this cheese with fig jam and pair it with fruity red wines.
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