Langherino

The Tomino is a culinary tradition in Piemonte where this simple little cheese is transformed into something far more than the sum of its parts. Though always small as the name implies, the tomino can be any mix of milk. The young forms are covered by a thin bloomy rind which covers a soft, silken interior that is mild and creamy in flavor.

Caseificio dell'Alta Langa's version is dubbed "Langherino", named for the Langhe, Piemonte's agricultural and culinary heart, and is made from a blend of cow and sheep milk. Though the cheese is pleasant as is, the tradition is to flavor them with any number of ingredients, often prosciutto or speck, herbs, radicchio or nuts, and warm them in a pan or under the broiler. As the cheese warms through, the flavors open up and blossom, serving as a rich base, enhancing whatever wrapping has been used. The thin rind barely contains the cheese inside which becomes molten and creamy.