Provolone

Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk, a pasta filata or stretched-curd cheese aged for at least four months. It originated in Campania near Mount Vesuvius, where it is still produced, though the name, meaning large provola, only emerged in the late 1800s as production spread to southern Italy and the cheese grew larger; today northwestern Italy, especially the city of Cremona, is the leading production area. It is traditionally shaped into pears, sausages or cones 10 to 15 centimeters long, sometimes smoked, and comes in two main types, the sharper provolone piccante, aged at least four months with goat lipase, and the milder provolone dolce, made with calf lipase; provolone Valpadana and provolone del Monaco both hold European Union protected designation of origin status. Provolone-type cheeses are also produced internationally, with the United States making 170,000 tonnes in 2023.