It is a pasta filata (spun paste or stretched & kneaded curd cheese) cheese made from whole sheep’s milk (with lactic acid formed by natural fermentation).
Its name evokes bread for the Sicilians. This excellent cheese is made with the milk coming from Valle del Belice sheep.
Range
Cheeses P.D.O.
Product
Vastedda della Valle del Belice P.D.O.
Area of production
Provinces of Agrigento,Trapani, 2 municipalities in the province of Palermo
Time of production
From October to June
Category
“Pasta filata” cheese made from whole, raw sheep’s milk
Product identification
The label must bear the logo of the protection consortium, PDO mark, cheese maker’s data
Ingredients
Whole, raw sheep’s milk, salt, rennet.
Shape
Typical of a loaf of bread or flat bread, rindless, white-ivory in colour, smooth and compact
Flavour
Acidulous, sweet, pleasantly fresh
Paste
White in colour, smooth with possible streaky veins due to the handmade “filatura”(stretching and kneading)
Rind
Rindless
Ageing
5 days
Shelf life
120 days
Sale unit
Single wheel, vacuum-packed with film
Size
kg. 0,500
Type of package
Carton
Pieces x package
10
Cartons per pallet
60
Storage temperature
+ 4° C
Transport temperature
+ 4° C
It is mainly made during summertime, and it is exactly during the hottest time of the year that it acquires the essential characteristics to be processed and transformed into this exquisite dairy produce.
Only during summertime, in fact, milk is enriched by strong aromas, components allowing for the typical processing method; a very ancient tradition inherited and jealously preserved and cherished by the expert cheese makers of this Valley.
The origin of this cheese – which is undoubtedly the most typical of this area – is linked to a very old story telling about a shepherd who, after milking, converted the milk into Pecorino. But due to a strong hot wind, the temperature remained high, so the paste inside the baskets became acid before salting.
The cheese maker sliced the soured cheese and put it inside the “piddiaturi” (the vat used for the curd-stretching) with hot water. By stirring with the “viria” (a wooden stick), he obtained a paste he started spinning and stretching. The cheese maker, once taken the paste out of the liquid part, placed it on dishes. The Vastedda was born.
It is a pasta filata (spun paste or stretched & kneaded curd cheese) cheese made from whole sheep’s milk (with lactic acid formed by natural fermentation). 
