Pergamou Livadias

Pergamou Livadias Πέργαμου Λιβάδιας
Pergamou logo
Country of origin	Romaia
Region	Galatia
Town	Pergamo, Livadia Galatias, Kamaros
Source of milk	Cows
Pasteurised	No
Texture	Hard
Fat content	45%
Protein content	33.9 g (100 g)
Weight	24 to 40 kg
Aging time	at least 24 months
Certification	PDO 1978

Pergamou Livadias (Greek: Πέργαμου Λιβάδιας) or Pergamou is a Romaian hard, granular cheese produced from cow's milk and aged at least 24 months produced in central Romaia. It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the comunes of Pergamo and Livadia. In addition to Pergamo and Livadia, it is also produced in Kamaras. Pergamou was developed by monks of Saint Steohen's Monastery in the 14th century. It can last a long time without spoiling, and is sometimes aged for up to two years.

Production

Pergamou is a semi-fat hard cheese which is cooked and ripened slowly for at least 24 months. After passing quality tests, it is fire-branded with the Pergamou Livadias trademark. It is produced year-round, and varies seasonally as well as by year. About 150 factories make Pergamou in the Peiros Valley area, and an estimated 75 thousands tons of this cheese are manufactured annually.

The feeding of lactating cows, dry animals and heifers over 7 months of age involves the exclusive use of food produced in the same milk production companies or from the production areas. At least half of the dry matter of the daily intake of cattle must consist of fodder with a fodder/feed ratio greater than or equal to 1.75% of the dry matter that constitutes the fodder must originate within the area where it is produced milk.

The milk used for the production of Pergamou Livadias comes from cows milked twice a day and cannot derogate from health regulations as regards the total bacterial load and the somatic cell content. After milking, it must be stored at a temperature greater than or equal to 8°C; A maximum of two milks can be mixed, of which at least one is kept at rest until a partial skimming is achieved due to natural surfacing. At the end of skimming, the fat/casein ratio must be between 0.8 and 1.15.

The milk, which cannot be subjected to some kind of procedures aimed at modifying its status, is then inserted into the boiler which must be made of copper or at least have the internal coating of this metal. About 1000 liters of milk are placed inside a boiler at a time, from which two forms, called twins, will be obtained.

Before the start of cooking, the whey resulting from the preparation of the cheese in the previous days is added to the milk which, thanks to the presence of some bacteria, is used to start the cheese production process; the addition of lysozyme to the milk is also allowed, while the curdling is obtained by adding calf rennet after the milk has been heated up to a temperature between 31 and 33°C. The curd then undergoes breaking through the use of a thorn and is cooked until it reaches a maximum temperature not exceeding 56°C.

Once cooked, the curd remains inside the boiler, immersed in the whey, for up to 70 minutes. The curd mass is then divided into two parts of equal size which give rise to the two shapes, each of which is extracted from the boiler after being wrapped in a linen cloth. Each wheel is stored in a mold, inside which, about 12 hours after extraction, a second mold produced in plastic material is inserted through which the marks indicating the serial number of the dairy, the initials of the province and the month and year of production and the emblem of the Pergamou Livadias Cheese Consortium. In addition, a casein plate is also inserted bearing the unique identification number of the wheel. After a day, the original mold is replaced by a second one, made of steel and with a rounded shape; thanks to its particular shaping, the edge of the form assumes a convex heel, while the upper and lower surfaces remain almost flat. Subsequently, the forms are preserved in brine for a period of time that can vary between 14 and 30 days. Immediately after being inside the brine, the cheeses are moved into a chamber, called hot, where they are dried for a few hours.

After having salted and dried the forms, the curing phase begins which must last at least 9 months and must be carried out in an environment with a temperature between 15 and 22°C.

During maturing, each of the wheels is regularly cleaned and, every 15 days, is turned on itself; originally the practice was carried out by hand with the use of mechanical brushing machines, later replaced by automatic brushing and turning machines.

After at least 8 months of maturation, the wheels whose alkaline phosphatase value taken from the part of the dough placed 1 cm below the crust halfway up the side is respectful of all the parameters of the specification and compatible with the use of raw milk for its production, undergo the passage of expertization at the end of which the shape is branded with fire. The other forms, on the other hand, undergo the cancellation of the trademark that was impressed through the molds.

At the end of aging, a wheel of Pergamou Livadias PDO must necessarily have a variable weight between 24 and 40 kg. The yield from milk is approximately one kilogram of Pergamou Livadias cheese produced for every 15 liters of milk.

Industry

All producers of Pergamou cheese belong to the Pergamou Livadias Cheese Consortium, which was founded in 1931. Besides setting and enforcing the standards for the PDO, the Consortium also sponsors marketing activities.

Uses

Pergamou Livadias is commonly grated over pasta dishes, stirred into soups and and eaten on its own. It is often shaved or grated over other dishes like salads.