Stracchino della duchessa

The “Stracchino della duchessa” is a delicious dish that combines the creaminess of stracchino cheese with the sweetness of certain vegetables and spices. Here is how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 250 gr of stracchino cheese
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small golden onion
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped chives for garnish

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning and finely chopping the celery, carrot, and onion.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped vegetables. Let them soften over low heat, until they become tender.
3. Add the stracchino cheese to the vegetables, then season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Gently mix until the stracchino starts to melt and blends with the vegetables.
4. Once the mixture is homogeneous and creamy, remove from the heat.
5. Prepare small cocottes or individual bowls and distribute the stracchino and vegetable mixture evenly.
6. Place the cocottes under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes, just long enough to brown the surface.
7. Remove the cocottes from the oven and let them cool slightly.
8. Garnish with chopped chives before serving.

Curiosity

Stracchino, also known as crescenza, is a soft and creamy cheese originally from Lombardy. The name “stracchino” derives from the Lombard dialect “stracch” meaning “tired,” referring to the fatigue of the cattle after the seasonal migration.

This dish is an excellent choice as a starter or as a unique dish for a light dinner, especially when paired with a fresh green salad.