Dairy

Serra da Estrela

Serra da Estrela is Portugal’s iconic soft sheep’s-milk cheese from the Serra da Estrela mountains, coagulated with cardoon thistle rennet rather than animal rennet. Young wheels are so soft they are spooned from a cut top like a fondue; the flavour is buttery, slightly bitter-herbal from the thistle, tangy, and richly sheepy. Older amanteigado styles stay unctuous; more aged wheels firm toward a sliceable paste. Serve room-temperature as a communal spoon cheese with country bread and Dão wine, or use as a luxurious filling for potatoes and pastries. PDO milk comes from Bordaleira and Churra Mondegueira ewes in the defined mountain zone. The thistle set gives a unique floral bitterness that animal-rennet copies cannot match.

Also known as: Queijo Serra da Estrela Amanteigado, Queijo Serra da Estrela Velho