Sheep cheese, DOP / Queijo de Nisa / Queijo de ovelha curado, unidade

Weight approx. 350 grams.
An intense cheese with a distinctive aroma and texture as well as a distinct, slightly sour and spicy taste.

Bronze 2017-2018 WORLD CHEESE AWARDS.
Silver 2021-2022 WORLD CHEESE AWARDS.

The cheese is made from raw milk from sheep of the regional Merina Branca breed. It is a mature cheese with a semi-hard dough and a yellowish-white color. This aromatic cheese is particularly popular in Portugal and is often served with various dishes.
Nisa cheese is a protected origin mark cheese -DOP-, long known in the Alentejo region of Portugal. It was mentioned as early as 1901 by António Maria Horta Camões and has been part of the daily life of the residents for several generations.

Production method:
The manufacturing process begins with the addition of vegetable rennet (Cynara cardunculus L.) to the milk at a temperature of 25 to 28 ºC for 45 to 60 minutes. After this process, the curd is first cut to remove some of the whey. The cheese curds are then poured into the molds, stirred by hand and salted.
Finally, maturation occurs, which includes two phases. The first phase lasts 15 to 18 days at a temperature of 8 to 10 ºC and a relative humidity of 80 to 90%, while the second phase lasts 30 to 40 days at a temperature of 10 to 14 ºC and a relative humidity of 85 to 90 % lasts.
Production is subject to clear and strict rules, from the keeping of the sheep in the open field to the finished cheese, which are constantly monitored by Agricert.