PONTICORVO DAIRY
Caseificio Ponticorvo it is a reality inserted in a territory with a high gastronomic vocation, the Middle Volturno, and more precisely ad Alvignano, home of virtuous companies (Pizzeria Élite Rossi, Birra Karma, Fattoria Pagliuca, Caseificio Il Casolare) and very close to that Caiazzo made known by the high-sounding name of Franco Pepe.
A company active since 1968, specialized in the transformation of buffalo and cow's milk; a company history spanning more than fifty years, that of Ponticorvo family, started with Antonino Ponticorvo and his wife Giuseppina, and continued with the children first and then with the grandchildren, driving today: the Anna brothers, Antonino and Giusy Ponticorvo.
The current headquarters, which replaced the historical one, was inaugurated in May of 2022; is a multifunctional factory of three thousand square meters, which includes an area dedicated to production, a bar with gastronomy and a point of sale with own products and other gastronomic specialties, also including a wine shop with a careful selection of wines (with very reasonable prices).
On the top floor of the building, a restaurant-pizzeria, waiting for the full-fledged start-up.
The dairy works 1200 quintals of milk per day between buffalo and cow. In this area on the slopes of the Trebulani Mountains there are several buffalo farms whose milk flows into the farm every day; the cow's milk instead comes from the neighboring regions and from northern Italy. All incoming milk passes through the internal analysis laboratory before processing.
The type of processing practiced in the company is that of stretched curd, according to the tradition started by his grandfather Antonino (originally from the Sorrento peninsula).
Nel 2015 the Ponticorvo Dairy has joined the Consorzio di Tutela della Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP; it is also equipped with Halal certification.
The production facility is brand new and fully automated, divided into separate areas by type of milk; it includes an innovative wastewater disposal plant, among the largest in Campania. The company project aims at renewable energies; the photovoltaic system is under construction.
They leave the dairy every day 25 quintals of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP and 130 quintals of fior di latte for pizza, obtained with the whey graft technique.
The mozzarella is formed by hand for the product destined for the point of sale and with the aid of forming machines for the product destined for the foreign market. Infatti, a substantial part of the production is destined for export, mostly to Japan, England and South Korea; the finished product leaves immediately, after two hours of production.
THE TASTING
I was invited to participate in a tasting reserved for the press and sector operators.
Buffalo mozzarella is not savory, as one might assume (a typical feature of the Caserta area, at least until some time ago); tutt’altro: it has a very delicate taste.
As reported by the production manager, Antonino Ponticorvo (omonimo del nonno), the salt concentration in the brine is del 10%; the residence time of the cheese depends on its format.
The provola vaccine is subjected to natural smoking, by straw (certified). It can be recognized by the characteristic marks on the skin impressed by the grid on which it is placed during the smoking process. It has a compact consistency and a smoky taste.
Thanks to the Ponticorvo Dairy for giving me the opportunity to learn about this high-tech project that aims at environmental sustainability.
Caseificio Ponticorvo
Via Genoese, 5 – Alvignano, Caserta
such. 0823/865000
www.caseificioponticorvo.com
Open Monday to Saturday from 8 alle 20.
Sunday open from 8 alle 13.