The Schiz cheese in a skillet is delicious and pairs magnificently with polenta, wild mushrooms, and cabbage salad. You can cook it in many ways: raw, cooked, baked, breaded, and grilled.
It is a fresh cheese with a white, semi-hard, compact, homogeneous, rubbery, and spongy texture. It has no rind, its shape is mainly rectangular and weighs about 4.4 lbs, and it is generally sold sliced. It has a very delicate, sweet taste and is not salty. It is very digestible, has a milky aroma, and is quick to prepare.
The tradition tells that its name comes from the fact that originally it was made from scraps that splashed “schizar” out of the cheese molds when the curd was pressed inside them, it was a recovery of the excess. In the Belluno dialect, schizar means to press. Splashing is called svinzar, from svinz which means splash.
SCHIZ cheese is typical of Veneto, available for purchase all year mainly in dairies and social creameries in the province of Belluno and the surrounding areas. It is part of the Traditional Agrifood Products.
RECIPES with cheese
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 3 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Person
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Veneto
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 373.65 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.32 (g) of which sugars 2.40 (g)
- Proteins 17.76 (g)
- Fat 28.71 (g) of which saturated 16.15 (g)of which unsaturated 9.06 (g)
- Fibers 0.36 (g)
- Sodium 992.02 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Skillet Schiz Cheese
- 1 slice fresh cheese (SCHIZ or Tosella or Primosale)
- 1 tbsp g cornmeal (or breadcrumbs)
- 2 tsp g butter (from the alps)
- to taste fine salt
Tools
- Pan non-stick
- Kitchen Spatula (silicone)
Skillet Schiz Cheese
Melt plenty of butter (better if from the alps) in a non-stick skillet. Meanwhile, coat the Schiz slice with cornmeal.
Cook on one side and then the other for a few minutes, or until golden. Salt during cooking.
VARIATIONS and ALTERNATIVES
SCHIZ with onion in a skillet
Wash the onion (or scallions), slice, including the green part if using scallions. In a shallow pan, sauté the onion with a drizzle of oil and a little water, then add the diced Schiz and let it melt, season with salt and oregano (or other preferred spices or herbs).
Grilled: cook the plain Schiz on one side and then the other, season with salt.
In tomato sauce: pour tomato sauce in a non-stick skillet (season with oil, salt, sugar, and oregano), let the sauce gain flavor, then add the Schiz slices and cook them.
Oven-baked: brown in butter in a skillet or on the grill, then place in a baking dish, season with salt, cover with liquid cream and bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.
In cream: brown in a skillet without any fat to brown on both sides, then season with salt and add plenty of cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
Breaded: first dip in egg and then breadcrumbs and cook like a cutlet in a skillet or oven.
RAW:
– diced and added to a mixed salad
– as a substitute for mozzarella or Feta (the most famous Greek cheese)
– served accompanied by jams or honey
– alternate slices of Schiz with fruit (pears, figs, apples) and dress with cream or balsamic vinegar
Other traditional recipes
– Tagliatelle with Schiz and arugula
– Ring cake with Schiz and pears
STORING cooked Schiz
It is best eaten immediately to fully enjoy its flavor. Alternatively, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 1 day, reheating it again in a skillet.
STORING raw Schiz
To store raw Schiz, wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge. It’s best consumed within 1 day to maintain freshness and flavor. If necessary, freeze in freezer bags and thaw in the fridge before using.
