There are cheeses that can be explained with a list of ingredients. And then there's fossa cheese, which is explained by a place and the time it spends there. Removing it from the pit after three months is always a surprise: the color, the texture, the aroma change from one cycle to another, because fermentation follows its own rules, not those of its producers.
What is fossa cheese?
Fossa cheese is an aged cheese that undergoes a second maturing phase inside pits dug into tufa rock. The most famous pits are in Sogliano al Rubicone, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, where this practice has been documented for centuries. The environment of the pits, hermetically sealed during the maturing period, creates conditions of temperature, humidity, and absence of oxygen that transform the cheese in a way that no traditional cellar can replicate.
The result is a firm and uniform, straw-colored paste, with a flavor that starts sweet and finishes with an intense aftertaste. Those who try it for the first time expect something similar to aged pecorino, but instead find something different: more complex, with notes of undergrowth, hay, sometimes a slight bitter hint.
How it is produced: from aging to the pit
The process of aging fossa cheese is divided into two distinct phases. The first is traditional aging on wooden boards, lasting 5 months. In this phase, the cheese develops its basic structure: the rind, the firmness of the paste, and the initial aromas.
The second phase is in the pit. The cheese is taken to Sogliano al Rubicone and lowered into the tufa pits, where it remains for another 3 months. The pits are sealed with wooden and masonry lids, blocking air circulation. In this anaerobic environment, a slow fermentation occurs that transforms the cheese from within: the color changes, the flavors concentrate, and the characteristic black dots appear on the surface, which are the visible sign of the process and are not at all abnormal.
In total, from milk processing to the opening of the pit, 8 months pass.
Faggiola Royal Fossa Cheese
Faggiola Royal Fossa Cheese is produced at the Faggiola plant in Palazzolo sul Senio, in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, using 100% mountain cow's milk. After 5 months of aging on wooden boards, the wheels are brought to Sogliano al Rubicone for maturation in the tufa pits.
Each wheel weighs approximately 900 g. The packaging is vacuum-sealed to preserve the aromatic profile developed in the pit and includes a cotton bag.
A practical note: the black dots seen on the cheese are natural and are a direct result of the pit aging. They do not indicate any defect; on the contrary, they are one of the signs that the process has occurred correctly.
Fossa cheese: how to eat it
At room temperature, it releases much more flavor than when cold from the fridge: take it out at least 30 minutes before serving. The cheese, which is firm when first removed from vacuum packaging, softens slightly, and the aromas open up.
It is cut into flakes or thin slices. On a cheese board, it should be placed last, after sweeter cheeses, because its intense aftertaste would linger on the palate and cover everything else. Paired with chestnut honey or fig jam, it holds up well to a bitter note. With a sweet white wine or a medium-bodied red, like a Sangiovese di Romagna, it finds its balance.
It also works grated: on buttered pasta or radicchio risotto, in small quantities, it adds a complexity that Parmesan would not.
Fossa cheese price: how much it costs and why
The price of fossa cheese reflects the length of the production process. Eight months of processing between aging and maturation, mountain milk, tufa pits managed by specialized producers: these are all factors that affect the final cost.
Faggiola Royal Fossa Cheese is available on clai.it for €36.90 for a wheel weighing approximately 900 g, equivalent to about €41.00 per kg. Compared to other aged cheeses, it is a higher price range, but the yield is different: a small amount is enough to taste the cheese, both on a cheese board and in cooking.
You can find it in the online shop with refrigerated shipping throughout Italy.
