File:Casu_Marzu_cheese.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
casu martzu
Sign in to saveAlso known as casu marzu
Sardinian and Corsican cheese containing live maggots
Key facts
- Other names
- Casu marzu , casu modde , casu cundídu , casu fràzigu
- Country of origin
- Italy
- Region
- Sardinia
- Source of milk
- Sheep
- Pasteurised
- No
- Texture
- Soft
- Aging time
- 3 months
- Certification
- None
via Wikipedia infobox
~7 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Casu martzu ( Sardinian: [ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu]; lit. 'rotten cheese') is a Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live fly maggots.
The larvae of the cheese fly (Piophila casei) are deliberately introduced to pecorino cheese, where their digestive action produces an advanced level of fermentation, including a breakdown of the cheese's fats. The cheese's texture softens, and a liquid called làgrima ('teardrop') may seep out.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “casu martzu” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.