From our search for authentic and specific flavors from the area where the farm is located, we rediscovered an ancient recipe that dates back to Roman times.
We called this goat’s cheese “Sassina Metas” (Sarsina cone), because it was mentioned by the poet Martial in one of his epigrams. Pliny the Elder also mentions it in his renowned Naturalis Historia, as does Silius Italicus in his poem Punica. In fact, as early as Plautus’s time, it was known that a conical-shaped cheese was produced in the Sarsina area, molded in specially perforated earthenware vessels, enhancing its unique flavor.
Even today, we still produce according to ancient methods with just three ingredients: milk, rennet, and salt (Cervia salt, at the time, was the only one available in these areas). Production, which was already limited, has now been suspended.
We will resume production, we will continue to carry it forward, not only for the gastronomic values that this cheese has but for its ethical values:
“We farmers must be able to tell the story of agriculture and its aspects very well, starting with children, if we want to have a future and if we want agriculture to have a future.”
The choice to produce goat cheese rather than other types of cheese is also not accidental: goat’s milk, in fact, has different properties than common cow’s or sheep’s milk. It has a different fat molecule that makes it more digestible for humans and significantly reduces the risk of intolerances.
After 40 days of storage, we move the cheeses to a tuff cave and wrap them in hay or walnut leaves: this is how their maturation begins.
This is not a commercial choice but rather a desire to produce a quality product. With the same amount of sheep’s milk, you can obtain more than 2 kg of cheese! The ratio of goat’s milk to 1 kg of cheese is 1:10, while sheep’s milk yields double. This is mainly due to the amount of fat contained in the milk: little in goat’s milk, a lot in sheep’s milk.
For the same volume and final result, it is not cost-effective to produce goat’s cheese, but we care that our values are always respected in every product we make or in every activity we undertake.
Characteristics of Sassina Metas goat cheese:
- Taste: round and delicate
- Use: appetizer, second course, side dish
- Milk production: 100% farm-grown
- Availability: all year round
- Storage: in a cool, dry place
- Packaging: truncated cone shape
