Casciotta d'Urbino DOP — The Cheese of Michelangelo

Urbino, Pesaro-Urbino province, Marche. Casciotta d'Urbino is one of the oldest documented Italian cheeses — mentioned in 16th-century sources from the Ducal court at Urbino. DOP status granted in 1996. Michelangelo's fondness for it is documented in letters.

Casciotta d'Urbino is the DOP sheep-and-cow cheese of the Marche — a small, drum-shaped, semi-soft cheese made from 70-80% whole sheep's milk and 20-30% cow's milk, with a very short aging (20-30 days), producing a mild, slightly sweet, compact white cheese with a reddish-yellow thin rind. It is the cheese of Urbino's ducal tradition — Michelangelo is documented to have loved it and reportedly owned fields near Urbino specifically to ensure supply. Its mildness and clean flavour make it a table cheese, but it also melts beautifully and is used in crescia and sfogliata preparations.

Casciotta d'Urbino at 20-25 days is one of the most gentle, clean cheeses in Italy — mildly sweet, slightly milky, with a delicate sheep's fat character. It is not assertive; it is precisely calibrated to not overwhelm. With honey and a glass of Verdicchio, it is the paradigm of the uncomplicated cheese pleasure.