Getting to know Grana Padano

The Protected Designation of Origin of GRANA PADANO defines the production area, method and characteristics of a cheese produced all year round from raw cow’s milk, partially skimmed by allowing the cream to rise naturally. The consistency is hard, the cheese matures slowly and can be used as part of a cheese board or as a grating cheese.

CHARACTERISTICS

When ready for sale, the cheese has the following characteristics:
- shape: cylindrical, wheel shaped, circumference rind slightly convex or almost straight, flat bases slightly rimmed;
- diameter of wheel: 35-45 cm;
- height of rind: 18-25 cm;
- weight: 24- 40 kg;
- rind: hard and smooth, 4-8 mm thick;
- texture: hard, with a finely grained structure, radial fracture into flakes, eyes hardly visible;
- fat content of dry substance: minimum 32%;
- rind colour: dark or natural golden yellow;
- colour: white or straw-yellow;
- aroma: fragrant; - flavour: delicate.

Apart from the typical characteristics of GRANA PADANO (PDO), the grated variety must have the following characteristics: - moisture: not less than 25% and not higher than 35%; - appearance: not powdery, even, particles with a diameter of less than 0.5 mm not more than 25%; - quantity of rind: not higher than 18%.

AREA OF ORIGIN

Grana Padano (PDO) is produced and grated in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin, Verbania, Vercelli, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantua (to the left of the Po), Milan, Monza, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese, Trento, Padua, Rovigo, Treviso, Venice, Verona, Vicenza, Bologna (to the right of the Reno), Ferrara, Forlì, Cesena, Piacenza, Ravenna and Rimini.

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