| Serra da Estrela | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Portugal |
| Source of milk | Ewes |
| Texture | Soft to Semi-hard |
Serra da Estrela (Queijo Serra da Estrela) is a cheese from the cold and mountainous region of Serra da Estrela in Portugal, which has been granted PDO status in the European Union.[1] Its production has very rigorous rules and is limited to the region consisting of the municipalities of Seia, Nelas, Mangualde, Celorico da Beira, Tondela, Gouveia, Penalva do Castelo, Fornos de Algodres and Carregal do Sal.
It is made from sheep's milk, mostly during the months of November to March. Its maturation period has specific norms and must last thirty days at least. The texture of the paste varies depending on its age, from a very soft semi-liquid when young, to a soft but sliceable solid when older. It is a cured cheese created by artisanal producers with a white or slightly yellow color and a uniform creamy consistency with at most a few small holes in it. Its particular qualities result from slow draining of curdled raw sheep's milk which has been coagulated by using local Cynara cadunculus thistle rather than rennet.
The cheese is formed into a somewhat irregular wheel with slightly bulging sides and upper surface. It typically has a soft well-formed rind, smooth and thin with a uniform straw-yellow colour, and is traditionally bound in cloth.
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