Brocciu

{{Short description|French ewe's milk cheese with whey}}

{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}

{{Infobox cheese

| name = Brocciu

| image = 250px

| othernames =

| country = France

| regiontown = Corsica

| region =

| town =

| source = Sheep/Goat

| pasteurised =

| texture = Fresh/Soft

| fat =

| protein =

| dimensions =

| weight =

| aging = Max. 1 month, usually none

| certification = French AOC 1983

}}

Brocciu ({{IPA|fr|bʁɔtʃiu|-|LL-Q150_(fra)-Lyokoï-brocciu.wav}}) is a Corsican cheese produced from a combination of milk and whey, giving it some of the characteristics of whey cheese. It is produced from ewe's milk. It is notable as a substitute for lactose-rich Italian Ricotta, as brocciu contains less lactose.{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2018/04/delicious-corsica-sampling-best-corsican-cuisine|date=8 April 2019|publisher=National Geographic|title=Delicious Corsica: Sampling the best of Corsican cuisine|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713022528/https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2018/04/delicious-corsica-sampling-best-corsican-cuisine|url-status=dead}}

Produced on the island of Corsica, brocciu is considered the island's most representative food. Like ricotta, it is a young white cheese and is paired frequently with Corsican white wines. It has been described as "the most famous cheese" in Corsica.{{cite book | last=Gavin | first=P. | title=French Vegetarian Cooking | publisher=M. Evans | year=1997 | isbn=978-1-59077-269-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KkZ9CAAAQBAJ&pg=PT74 | access-date=2021-04-19 | page=74}}

The word brocciu is related to the French word brousse and means fresh cheese made with goat or ewe's milk.

Brocciu is made from whey and milk. First, the whey is heated to a low temperature of just a few degrees below {{convert|100|F|C}} and then ewe's milk is added and further heated to just a bit below {{convert|200|F|C}}. After heating, the cheese is drained in rush baskets.

The cheese is ready for consumption immediately, although it may be ripened for a few weeks ({{langx|co|brocciu passu}} or brocciu vechju); the ideal affinage time for brocciu is 48 hours to one month.{{cite web|url= http://www.cheese-france.com/cheese/brocciu.htm|title= Brocciu Cheese-France: French Cheese Guide}}

In Corsican cuisine, it is used in the preparation of innumerable dishes, from first courses to desserts.{{sfn|Schapira|1994|p=14}}