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1
Rig a spit, rack, or improvised hanging apparatus directly above a small gas burner or open fire set to a low-to-medium flame — the flame should lick the cheese without a roaring surge. Suspend the Caciocavallo Silano DOP by its cord so it hangs centred above the heat source. This is a tableside preparation; bring the burner and the cheese to the table before the flame is lit.
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2
Light the flame and allow the outer surface of the cheese to begin to blister. Hold a wooden board directly beneath the cheese to catch all drips. After 2–3 minutes the side facing the heat will show a blistered, browning crust; rotate the cheese a quarter-turn. Continue turning every 2–3 minutes. The dish lives or dies here: a low-to-medium flame produces the controlled, slow melt and caramelised crust that defines impiccato — a high flame chars the exterior to bitterness before the interior has yielded.
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3
As each face of the cheese blisters and turns golden-amber, draw a flat knife across the softened surface in a single firm scrape, transferring the molten cheese directly onto the bruschetta or country bread laid on the board. The scraped surface will immediately begin to form afresh; proceed with the next face. The cue is visual: a glossy, just-yielding skin forming over the crust indicates the moment to scrape.
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4
Where 'nduja is used, spread it onto the bread before the cheese arrives; the heat of the molten Caciocavallo melts the 'nduja into the bread beneath it. Immediately sprinkle the scraped surface on the bread with freshly ground black pepper and chilli flakes. Serve at once — the scraped portion cools and tightens within a minute.
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5
Continue rotating and scraping until the cheese has given its full molten yield. The caramelised outer shell that remains — the crunchy, darkened crust — is the prized remnant. Set it on the board whole; do not discard it. It should be firm to the touch, deeply coloured, and faintly crackling when pressed.