Cheese story
What is Montasio?
A northern Italian cheese used in frico and aged for grating.
Origin
Friuli-Venezia Giulia / Veneto, Italy
Milk
cow
Board role
Hard / mature
Cheese profile
Country
Italy
Region
Friuli-Venezia Giulia / Veneto
Milk type
cow
Texture
semi-hard to hard
Rind
natural
Ageing
2 to 18+ months
Vegetarian
Check the rennet / producer
Milk treatment
raw/thermised
Flavour profile: mild, nutty, grassy, savoury
Origin, protection and character
Montasio comes from Italy, especially Friuli-Venezia Giulia / Veneto. Its character comes from the balance of milk, texture, rind, ageing and local serving traditions.
Protected status
PDO/DOP
Typical ageing
2 to 18+ months
How to serve Montasio
frico, grating, cheese boards
Good food matches
Friulano wine
potatoes
Serving tip
Take it out of the fridge before serving so the texture softens and the flavour opens up. Softer cheeses usually need less time than hard aged cheeses.
Buying tip
Look for clean aroma, good texture and a style that matches the board: fresh and bright, soft and creamy, hard and nutty, blue and salty, or bold and washed-rind.
