Formaggeria Cà du Roc

Set against Mount Uja di Mondrone, the “Matterhorn of the Lanzo Valleys”, at an altitude of 1,250 metres, Pian della Pietra is a pretty outlying hamlet of Ala di Stura. It was here in 2001 that Renata Alpignano and Cinzia Loturco built a barn and a dairy to produce goat cheeses. The partners, who hailed from a totally different background, have addressed the new challenge of farming Saanen goats, of which there are now more than 50, enthusiastically over 20 years of hard work. Their efforts have been rewarded by customers’ positive response to their raw-milk cheeses. The most emblematic is the Chevrin delle Valli di Lanzo, while Capreggio, made with techniques similar to those used for taleggio, is also impressive. The cheeses are salted in brine, then matured for a minimum of 60 days. They come in the classic square shape, weigh about three kilos and have a soft, elastic texture. The fresh sweet dry-salted cacioricotta has to be sold within five or six days and consumed immediately. Cà du Roc’s cheeses are also on sale at Bruno Tetti’s butcher’s shop in Martassina and on Saturdays at the Lanzo Torinese street market.

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